


In Your Arms (Ericson Kids)

by talusshino



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bisexuality, Break Up, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Lesbian Character, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2020-10-20 16:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20678780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talusshino/pseuds/talusshino
Summary: Violet Adlon is a senior in high school who is there her last year, she doesn't know that a certain brunette has a huge crush on her. But everything changes when she becomes her neighbor right from the door. The two girls find their way to each other. They become friends, and it is up to them, if their relationship changes into something more.That's not all, Violet has to figure out how bad she started to behave and find out how to make her life better.  She needs to start over, and Clementine will help her.





	1. Ericson Kids 1

**Author's Note:**

> I want to say one more thing .. In this story there will be both Ericson's band and .. well .. The "Clementine's band" like Duck, Mariana, Sarah and Gabe.. They are important to the story as the others.

"Clem. Are you listening to me?" Duck sighed, staring as the brunette was lost in her thought, looking at the blonde on the other side. "Are you staring at her again? Come on!"

Seeing that she was still ignoring him, he started waving his hand in front of her face.

"What ... What do you want, Duck?" Clementine blinked several times, straightened her body and stared at him. "What did you say?"

"It was me who killed your dog."

"What?!"

"Stop staring at her so much." He sighed annoyed. "Why don't you go to her and tell her you like her?" He pointed his hand at the blonde girl.

"Don't point at her! Do you want her to see you?!" She panicked, putting his hand immediately down, running her hands into her curly hair.

"Yes, I want her to see it! Maybe you finally speak with her." He sighed, crossed his arms. "How long have you been staring at her like that, huh? You've been doing it since the first day we started high school. And this is her last year, then you won't have a chance to tell her anything, Clem. "

"I ... I won't tell her anything." Her cheeks puffed up, she stretched out on the table and looked at her again. She was sitting with her bunch, and there was hardly any place, because they were a big group of people. "Just look at her, a girl like her can reject you just with her gaze."

"I don't think so. Every day I see the girls coming to her and she talks to them and smiles. Why wouldn't you try your luck?"

"Because they're girls with big boobs and ass, Duck. Who wants to have something with a junior who plays games all night and then can't even get out of bed? Definitely not her."

"But you don't know about it! Maybe she likes small, curly geeks." Duck tried to hold back his laughter, forcing her to roll her eyes.

"Stop, you're terrible." She sighed, got up from the table. "I'm going back."

"Wait for me!" Duck yelled, grabbing his backpack and running after her.

They both went back to class where they had another lesson. Their friends were already there, Clementine made a gesture for Duck to sit down quickly with her. She didn't want the orange-beanie boy to sit with her, today she had no interest in talking to him at all.

"You both look awful." Mariana spoke and looked at the brunette, who hid her face. "Clem, you played all night again? You know it's not good for you."

"Yeah, I know Mari.." Clementine sighed, hiding her face.

"You'll both end up in the hospital one day." Sarah frowned, staring at Duck, then at her. "Don't you have anything better to do? You just play those stupid games?!"

"Whoah... Why are you so upset?" Duck looked at her blankly. "It was a weekend so we played, nothing terrible."

"Yeah, except it's Monday today and you two look like you got up from the dead." Sarah announced, nodding ironically. "You've already forgotten how the teacher was upset when you two slept the whole-"

"I know, Sarah!" Clementine growled, rubbing her face. "Just stop, please, my head hurts."

"Duck, what if you started playing alone? You see the circles under her eyes?!"

"Please don't join them, Gabe." Clementine sighed, putting her head on the table.

Clementine stopped listening when she saw a certain blonde walking with her best friend Louis in the doorway. Seniors just went to their class, and she always stared at her. On her tall, slender figure. On her blond short hair that covered one side of her face, Violet was like a porcelain, badass doll.

And that was one of the reasons she liked so much. Her dress style, her behavior.. But it didn't matter anyway, she wasn't anything for her.

She just could always admire her from a distance, and that was all she'd ever done in high school. She never dared to talk to her, try to do something, she didn't have the courage.

"You two fell asleep again!" Sarah growled, holding her books to her chest. "You're both terrible."

"Why does it bother you so much, Sarah?" Clementine rolled her eyes, went to her locker and opened it, Mariana was beside her, and the boys were still in the classroom.

"Because .. You play games all night and then complain that you're tired!" Sarah frowned, angrily opening her locker.

"I didn't complain, and neither did Duck." Clementine replied, closing her locker and leaning against it. "Something just bothers you, what is it?"

"N-nothing! Nothing at all." Sarah shook her head, picking up her things quickly. "I'm going, I'll be waiting in the next class!"

When Sarah disappeared, Mariana leaned closer to the brunette.

"Duck is bothering her." Mariana sighed, speaking quietly. "She likes him, but she's afraid to tell him."

Before Clementine could say anything, the two boys came.

"What are you talking about?" Gabe smiled, staring at the brunette. 

"About girly things." Clementine quickly nodded. "We should go, Sarah can't handle it when she's alone."

"What girly things?" Duck became curious, stealing a spot beside her, and Gabe slightly frowned.

"Yeah, what girly things?" Gabe joined, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Things that aren't for boys." Mariana rolled her eyes. "Stop being so curious."

"You both are terrible."

"Now you sound exactly like Sarah, Duck."

This time Clementine sat with Mariana, the boys sat together, and Sarah sat with one of the girls she was talking to. She began to blush and staring at Duck, who laughed at something.

"She really likes him, huh?" Clementine chuckled, raising one eyebrow as she saw Sarah smiling at him. "That's ... So weird."

"Yeah .. But it's true." Mariana sighed, writing down something in her notebook. "She wants to go out with him, but it never worked out."

"Why it didn't work out?" Clementine asked, glaring at her.

"Because Duck usually spends his time with you." Mariana sighed again. "She's just jealous, because you spend so much time with him. But don't tell her I told you, she would kill me."

"Bleeh." Clementine grimaced. "Duck has been my friend since childhood, he's like my family, I'm sure I won't have any love affair with him, oh my god."

"Say it to her." Mariana said, annoyed.

"I'll ask Duck if she likes her."

"Clem, just ... I don't want to have any trouble about that."

"You won't have any trouble, Mari."

It was true that she had spent a lot of time with Duck, the two of them were inseparable. They were friends since childhood. They protected each other, they knew so many secrets about each other that they would not tell anyone else, they knew who she liked and who he liked, they even told each other with what girl they wanted to lose their virginity.

Clementine planned to ask Duck what he thought of Sarah, though she might have known the answer long ago. Or at least she thought so.

"W-Wait.. You actually like her?!" Clementine opened her mouth, shocked.

"I guess.. Do you think she likes me, too?" Duck asked, awkwardly scratching his neck. "I ... Clem, you must admit.. She's really pretty, right?"

"Oh .. yeah, she is." Clementine nodded, blinking several times. "I just ... I didn't expect it, I thought you liked older girls, you know."

"I like older girls, of course!" Duck laughed awkwardly, kicked the stone that was on the sidewalk. "But Sarah is nice, and if she likes me, too.. Maybe I could try it, right?"

"If you like her, why not." She replied, looking at him and seeing him blush. "You look like a tomato, Duck."

"Really?! Oh.." Duck cleared his neck. "Well, I see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you later." She nodded, staring as he waved at her and disappeared in the way.

When she saw that the air was clean, she began to laugh. She couldn't believe what she heard, but she planned to help them both.

"Looks like I have a job to do." She told herself, and turned to her home.

She lived in the apartment with her mother, they did not have a house. Not after what happened. But living in the apartment was nothing terrible, she still had her room and privacy. Only neighbors were sometimes annoying and noisy.

She went to her door, and on the other side she noticed the open door from another apartment. She was curious, the apartment had been abandoned for a long time. But she didn't look closer, she just opened the door of her home and slid in.

"Mom, are you home?" She yelled, pulling off her shoes and going to the kitchen to see her mother on the couch. "Mom-"

Her mother lifted a finger and made a gesture to be quiet, she had a phone near her ear and was talking to someone.

"Yes. I have time tomorrow. Yes, that's ideal, goodbye!" She said, putting the phone on the table, turned to her daughter and smiled brightly. "Clem, it looks like I'm going to have a new job!"

"You don't like what you have?" She asked, dropping her backpack on the floor and jumping beside her.

"I've been thinking for a while that I need a new and better job." Her mom nodded, still smiling. "We will have more money, and it's not a hard job like what I have now."

"Well, mommy.. I'm glad." Clementine smiled, and hugger her.

"But that means I'm going to work longer, Clem." She announced, putting her hands on her shoulders. "That means you'll be home alone overnight.."

"I can do it, mom." She nodded, tore away from her and stood up. "I .. I watched the apartment next to us have an open door, someone moving?"

"Yeah, some new family. We could go greet them later, hm?"

"Of course, mom .. I'm glad you found a new job."

"I'm glad too, sweetheart."


	2. Ericson Kids 2

"Be careful, Clementine!"

"Yeah, mom!" She replied, closed the door behind her and walked out where Duck was waiting for her. He was waving at her, and looking slighty enthusiastic.

"Hey, Clem." Duck greeted her and joined to her side.

"Hi, Mr. Duck." She replied, adjusting her backpack. "Ready to invite Sarah on a date?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Duck raised one eyebrow, passing a couple of students.

"You heard me." Clementine nodded. "Today is the day you will act like a man."

"Oh my god.." Duck sighed.

They were almost at the school where they saw hordes of students passing by. They headed straight to the school building where the others were waiting.

Clementine took a deep breath, just past her Violet was walking with the other girls. More precisely with Sophie, one of the most beautiful girls at school, she had Brody at her side, one of the girls with rough behavior. She was known for her yelling and fighting, she was always protecting her friends.

She's been fighting several times with the girls or boys who had bullshit on Violet and Sophie, it was always unreal how she could send a girl or even a boy to the hospital. Just because they said something about them, or looked at them badly.

Sophie, unlike her, was the sunshine. She smiled at everyone and she liked to touch others, one could say that when Brody saw someone touching her, she wants to kill them.

Everyone at school knew that they were a couple in love.

She held her breath, not even knowing it. She took her courage to look at the blonde who was just smiling at what Sophie had told her. Her hands in her pockets, her style was always black. Her short, blond hair .. Piercings, ear tunnel in both ears..

Her curves, her sharp jawline, her face.. Those lips and teeth she showed when she smiled too much..

"Clem.. You're staring again." Duck sighed, waving his hand in front of her face.

Clementine blinked several times, looking at Duck, who was looking at her annoyed.

"You should spoke with her, it's terrible to watch you drool over her."

"D-Duck! That's not true." She sighed. "I have no chance with her, I can't."

"You can! You're far better than all the girls." Duck frowned, and went with her to the school cafeteria. "You're funny, you're smart, caring .. beautiful, you're far better than them."

"Are you really praising me?" Clementine asked, shocked at his words.

"Of course I do, I've known you since our childhood, I know who you are." Duck sighed. "You're amazing, you should trust yourself more, Clem."

They both sat at the table where Mariana waved to them and continued to writing her work, Gabe was just playing on his phone but when he noticed the brunette, he put the phone down.

"Hi, Clem!" Gabe smiled enthusiastically, staring as the brunette laid her head on the table and sighed in frustration. "Are.. you okay?"

"Yeah.. I am." Clementine replied, spreading across the table. 

"Here you are!" Sarah spoke in a loud voice, sat down next to Duck and placed her belongings on the table. "Did you see the poster on the noticeboard? The principal organizes an event where students can show off their talents, I think I'll join in."

"What event?" Duck asked, taking a sip of his drink. "I saw nothing."

"Because you're busy watching Clementine." Sarah snorted, instantly getting a frown from the brunette and from him. "Just kidding! God .. The poster.. You can show your talent, like dance, sing and other things.. It will be in a month, students would have enough time to practice."

"And you want to join in there?" Gabe asked, raising one eyebrow and trying to hold back his laughter, they immediately frowned at him.

"Yes! I could finally show that ... I-I can play the violin." Sarah replied, scratching her neck. "Just ... I don't know, should I try?"

"Of course!" Duck nodded quickly, paying attention to her. "You play amazingly! Be sure to join it, I know it will be amazing even now."

Clementine stared at Sarah's expression when she heard what Duck had said to her, saw her smile and her eyes sparkled, she could see that she was delighted at his words. She was totally in love with him.

Maybe Duck won't even need help.

"I'm sure you'll play great, Sarah." Clementine praised her, still having her head on the table.

"I .. Thank you ..." Sarah replied, lowering her head but still smiling. "I'll try it then."

"You should try it too, Clem." Mariana spoke, looking at the brunette who raised one eyebrow at her. "I mean it, you can play guitar and sing. It's not a bad idea."

"Mariana, I really love you but sometimes you're worse than these three-"

"Look! Marlon is signing up, I'm sure he'll be playing there with his band." Duck nodded, leaning closer to her. "You know, if there will be Violet's friends, and she won't be playing or something, she will be definitely watching."

"Duck, you want me to voluntarily embarrass myself in front of all these people and in front of her? You must be crazy!" Clem whispered. "I won't do that, in any way."

"Okay, I'm gonna go in there. You two can come with me, when you stop professing love to each other." Sarah snarled, got up and walked toward the people.

Duck stood up with Clementine, who lazily followed him to the large group of people who had signed up as well.

Sarah was next, they were waiting for her, and at that moment she almost got a heart attack. Violet and her friends came, and she was only a short distance away. She could just move her hand and she would touch the blonde.

Her heart pounded more and she froze in place, beginning to eavesdrop on their conversation. Duck noticed and chuckled, leaning closer to her.

"Now is your chance." Duck whispered, giving the brunette heart attack.

"Marlon really signed up there, didn't he?" Louis chuckled, standing next to Violet. "He said the new girl could sing better than Minnie."

"Nobody's better than Minnie, Louis." Violet frowned, looking at him. "I'll tear his head off for this."

Clementine swallowed, knowing very well who Minnie was..

"Oh, you protect her a lot, don't you?" Louis chuckled, stepped to the table and began to sign up as well. "I will dazzle everyone with my piano, and I dedicate my entire performance to Clementine here."

"W..What?" 

"You heard correctly, darlin'." Louis winked at her, put his hands on his hips. "But don't worry, you can have me and Violet here too."

"I don't share her with anyone, Louis." Violet hissed, crossed her arms and walked closer to her. "She's mine, find someone else."

Clementine began to panic, noticing how close the blonde was to her. The way she stepped in front of her and protects her from that pretty dreaded boy who is not going to give up.

"Clementine is one of the most beautiful and talented girls in the whole school, I will fight for her, you know."

"Get out before I break your head, Louis. She's mine."

The way Violet turned to her and put her hands on her cheek, leaned over and kissed her lips in front of everyone. To show everyone who she belongs to. To show everyone who Violet belongs to-

"Hey .. Are you signing up or what?"

She was interrupted from her thinking by a girl who stared at her annoyedly, Duck banging her shoulder to wake her up.

Clementine swallowed, deeply blushing and began to crumble. She noticed everyone staring at her, including Violet and Louis, Sophie and Brody were also staring at her with a grin.

She took a pen, signed it and escaped as quickly as possible. She didn't think about it at all, she didn't think about what she'd just done.

Violet noticed her. Violet stared at her, and that was enough for her to start walking as far away as possible. The girl she has a crush on spotted her and looked at her.

Her green eyes finally looked at those golden honey eyes, who have longed for her attention for centuries.

And now she decided to embarrass herself in front of all those people, in front of her.

"I'm such a fucking idiot.."

\---

"Clem, are you okay?" Duck asked, sitting down on the stairs beside her. He noticed how the brunette looked stressed. "You don't look good."

"And you're surprised, Duck?" She sighed loudly, hiding her face with her hands. "I signed the damn paper because I panicked, and now I'm going to embarrass myself."

"Because of Violet?"

"Yeah .. You saw that she was looking at me, everyone was looking at me." She spoke again, hands in her hair. "Why am I like that, Duck? I feel terrible for the way I behave, I feel like a fucking kid."

"Stop that." Duck shook his head, looked ahead. "You can always cancel it, but ... Well, I think you should try it. You've always been so confident and good with everything."

"I'm no longer like that, Duck. I'm a disaster."

"You're not a disaster." Duck sighed, lowering his head. "I .. I know how hard these last three months have been for you, but getting socialized with people is a pretty good way to free yourself from that, you know.."

"Free yourself from what?" Behind them they both heard Gabe's voice, he and his sister came and sit on the stairs. 

Duck didn't answer him, he looked at her and noticed how she frowned slightly. He knew he reminded her of some of her bad past, he sighed and put his hand gently on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Clem. I shouldn't have-"

"It's okay." She replied, getting up. "I'm going home, see you tomorrow."

"Wait, don't you want me to walk with you?" Duck offered, getting up, but she stopped him.

"I want to take a walk alone Duck, I bet Sarah would like your company." Clementine gave a false smile and looked at the others. "Tomorrow."

"Of course Clem, be careful." Mariana nodded at her.

"Yeah, tomorrow, Clem." Gabe smiled at her, but looked disappointed.

When they saw she was out of sight, they turned to Duck who rubbed his face. 

"Something wrong?" Gabe asked as he went to him. "Duck-"

"Nothing." Duck replied, lowering his head. "It's not your problem."

"She's my friend too, why don't you tell me anything?!"

"Leave it, Gabe." Mariana sighed, looking at her brother. 

"Guys, can we go- Duck, what are you doing here?" Sarah paused, staring at him in shock. "Where's Clem?"

"She went home." Duck replied, rose and looked at her. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"Y-Yeah, I.. want that." 

Gabe went home with his sister, Duck went to escort Sarah and Clementine was busy kicking the stone. She didn't plan to go home right now, instead of that, she wandered around the park trying not to think about her past.

There was fear, a big fear. Her mother was supposed to go to a new job and she was supposed to be alone. She was afraid something would happen, something she would regret.

She sighed, staring at the sky, the blue clouds, and the nature around her. She didn't even realize how long she'd been out and saw that it was getting dark.

And that meant she had to go home, even if she didn't want to. She'd love to walk around and breathe the fresh air, it was one of the things she loved to do.

But lately she was still closed at home, just playing games or things that disconnected her from the real life. She was just trying to lock herself up so that she wouldn't cause problems. To her mother, to someone else. 

She was afraid, so she preferred not to do anything. She felt lost, she felt stuck. But she didn't bother anyone with her problems, she just kept it for herself.

She slowly got back home when something caught her attention. Something that shocked her and made her stop.

Why was Violet Adlon standing near her home talking to Louis and the others in the car? Clementine thought it was weird because she didn't seem to be waiting for someone here. It didn't look like she was going anywhere with them.

It looked like she was staying here.

When Louis's car left, her idea was confirmed. Violet turned to the apartment building and went inside. Clementine swallowed, why did she go there?

She followed her inside and saw her mother talking to another woman. The woman had dirty blond hair in a bun, had circles under her eyes, and beside her was a man who looked terrible, Clementine immediately recognized that he was an alcoholic.

What attracted her attention was Violet leaning against the wall with her hands crossed, staring blankly and listening to the conversation between them. And then she realized it.

The apartment opposite them where the door was open before ..

"Hi, honey! Where were you?" Her mother interrupted, making a gesture for her to get closer, they all looked at her right away.

"O-outside, mom." Clementine replied, trying to sound normal, not panic. But she couldn't just stop panicking when Violet was looking directly at her.

"Honey.. This is Mrs. Adlon, Mr. Adlon and their daughter Violet, they moved into the apartment next to us."

Clementine took a deep breath, Violet was her new neighbor.

"I .. Nice to meet you all."


	3. Ericson Kids 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the mistakees.

"Nice to meet you, too, Clementine." The blond woman smiled at her, gesturing her husband to say something too, but he just scoffed and went away.

Violet frowned at him and rolled her eyes, looking even coldly than normal.

"Excuse my husband. He's very.. tired of all that work-"

"Yeah, of course.." Violet chuckled, rolled her eyes again.

"Violet .." She sighed, pointing at their new neighbors who were awkwardly standing in front of them. "Stop it, and introduce yourself."

"I don't have to introduce myself, she knows me." Violet replied, and looked at Clementine's mother. "It was nice to meeting you, Mrs. Marsh. I'm sorry that you have to listen to my alcoholic father every day now, don't be afraid to call police on him at any time."

And with that, she turned and entered their new apartment, leaving there only her mother who looked seriously exhausted.

Clementine swallowed, it didn't look good at all. She could tell from that woman and Violet, that it was going to be a interesting night.  
_  
_And it was a interesting night.

_"Why did you let him move in, too, mom? Can't you see what he's doing?! He'll never change, he'll always be a fucking alcoholic!"_

_"Violet, that's enough! Go to your room!"_

_"Yeah, fuck that and you!"_

"Fuck!" Clementine whistled, jumped out of her bed, and went to look out the window where she saw Violet angrily walking away. She heard her alcoholic father yelling at her, but the blonde ignored him.

Her eyes widened as she watched all the drama that had happened outside her house. She could already tell that they were very loud neighbors.

But that wasn't all.

A week has passed since the Adlon's family moved into that empty apartment, and the owner himself wanted to throw them out. Because of all the problems that Violet and especially her father caused.

Yelling, smashing things and fighting all night long.. Since they moved in, there were a lot of problems that annoyed their neighbors' lives.

Clementine also noticed that Violet was bringing into her home girls. She noticed how she always leaning on the door frame, smiling at every girl who was just leaving her home.

They were always girls with clothes that should be banned, and with hickeys all over their body. They were just the girls Violet was sleeping with, at least she thought so.

When the girls disappeared, her expression changed. Instead of smiling Violet, a typical cold face appeared, she was hiding a lot of pain.

Clementine could tell when someone was depressed, who was looking for an activity so that he could forget for a while, she once had problems like that.

Except she didn't sleep with the girls, she was doing far worse things.

\---

"Clem, you look terrible."

"You're telling me this every day, Duck." Clementine replied, hiding her face with her hands. She sprawled across the table again. "I'm just tired, really tired."

"You two played games all night again?" Mariana sighed, glancing at the awful-looking brunette who whimpered. They both knew it wasn't worth trying to talk to her.

"I didn't play with her, I was ... well, with Sarah." Duck scratched awkwardly his neck, smiling.

But this won the brunettes attention the right away.

"Are you two dating?!" Clementine lifted her head, smiling stupidly. Mariana rolling her eyes and rather looking into her book, she was already bored with their conversation.

"I ... I don't know, maybe?" Duck laughed nervously. "We've been talking about it, but-"

"Here you are!" Sarah showed up, holding her violin and the first person she looked at was Duck, she smiled brightly at him, and so did he.

Clementine chuckled, the brown-haired boy really needed no help.

“Right now there is a performance in the music room, seniors are already trying students what they can do. I think I'm going to show up right now.”

"And .. What are you talking about, Sarah?"

"Clem, I'm talking about the event." Sarah sighed. “You can now show what you can do! Seniors are eager, i guess.”

Sarah place her violin in Duck hands, he began to inspect it with astonishment in his eyes. It should be noted that she never gave her violin to anyone's hand. Duck was the only one, that's why Mariana looked at her in shock.

"Wait, I can still cancel it, right?" Clementine panicked. "I totally forgot about it."

"Well, you can still cancel it, Clem." Sarah nodded, a slightly disappointed look on her face. “But I don't think you should do it, you should show what you can do. I bet you could find a boyfriend, too.”

Clementine choked on her drinking so much that Duck was startled and patted her back.

"Sarah, I don't need a boyfriend." Clementine replied, she chuckled nervously.

"And why not? You're seventeen, Clem! Finding a boyfriend is amazing.” Sarah smiled brightly and immediately looked at Duck, who was hiding his reddish face. "Did you even look around? Do you know how many pretty boys are looking at you?“

Clementine swallowed, lowered her head and looked stupidly at the table. It wasn't that she didn't notice, but she didn't want to be with a boy.

The only person she always wanted was Violet, but she couldn't tell them. Duck was the only one who knew about her orientation. She would have told them too, but she was afraid.

"Clementine just doesn't want to go out with every moron who looks at her, Sarah." Duck spoke, trying to save her from this conversation. "Don't you think it's time to go to that music room?"

“You’re right, Duck.” Sarah's eyes widened. "I'm going!“

Before the others could say anything, Sarah ran back to school and didn't even take her violin from Duck, who still had it in his hand. Everyone stared at her in shock, then stood up and followed her.

"When is Gabe coming to school, Mari?" Clementine asked, walking beside Mariana while Duck was careful not to break the violin in his hand.

"I don't know, Clem." She sighed, walking past a senior who almost hit her, the three of them frowning at him. "Mitch is really scary."

"Yeah, he is." Clementine snorted, frowning at the black-haired boy who was now leaning on the locker, lighting a cigarette. "I still don't understand how Sophie could date him."

They entered the music room, which had a huge stage where a few people had performed. It was a group of sophomore students who started dancing.

“Here you are, oh my god my violin! I totally forgot.” Sarah sighed with relief, took the violin from Duck and examined it. "Thank you, Duck!"

“Of course, Sarah.” Duck smiled at her.

They were watching as she ran away again. Sarah went to her friends, who stared at her in amazement as she began to practice.

"I think you should go to her, Duck." Clementine turned to him. "I'm going to cancel it."

"Are you sure, Clem?" Duck sighed. "I understand, but you can really play, you don't have to worry."

"I agree with Duck, but if you really want to cancel it, it's your decision." Mariana nodded, she could see that they were disappointed in her decision.

But she didn't want to show anything, she was too afraid of being embarrassed. She was most afraid of the blonde girl who was just sitting on one of the chairs near the stage.

She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of her, she didn’t want to make any mistake on that stupid stage. She didn't want to have a mental breakdown in front of these people.

She walked over to the table where the same girl was sitting as before. She took a deep breath, and finally decided.

“I want to cancel it-”

"What?! What am I hearing here, princess? You don’t want to show us your talent?!”

The voice made her stiff at the spot, her eyes widening, and she immediately knew to whom the voice belonged.

"Such a pretty face you have, and I can't see it on that stage? You can't do that to me, darling!"

Louis Sulieman, one of the most famous seniors in the entire high school. The only person who is one hand with Violet Adlon. Her closest friend, who had known her since their childhood, had just spoken to her.

"I ... Well, uhm-" Clementine blushed deeply, before she could stutter anything else, she felt his big hands on her shoulders.

All the seniors were huge compared to them, Clementine felt like a lost child between them. She had to raise her head to look into his face, and when she saw his hurt look, she wanted to kill herself.

“Tell me what's bothering you, dear. Are you afraid? Are you nervous about someone laughing at you? Because no one will laugh here!”

Louis started literally yell, he squeezed her shoulders and smiled brightly at her.

"Trust me, not only will you dazzle the audience with your talent, but you dazzle them with your beauty, too, woman!"

Clementine looked at him in shock, not even believing that she was touching her and talking to her, but she couldn't stand it and burst out laughing.

"See?! Just see how this woman can smile!” Louis yelled again, not afraid to lift her up to show her seriously.

"Oh my god .." Clementine hid her face in embarrassment and didn't understand what was happening at all.

She had no courage to even look at Duck and the others who were watching them in shock. But she could imagine Duck's huge grin on his face.

“Come on, dear. Tell me what your talent is.” Louis put her on the floor again, leaning closer to her face, waiting for her answer.

"I ... Well." Clementine didn't dare look into his eyes, so she looked down. “I can .. I can play guitar, but-”

"So come with me then!“ Louis announced, grabbing her hand and pulling her across the music room. Clementine took a deep breath as she noticed Violet watching them from her chair.

"Marlon, give this beauty a guitar choice!" Louis waved his hand in the air, she chuckled at his behavior.

Marlon stood up from his chair and picked up an ordinary and electric guitar, he then looked at Clementine, who swallowed.

"I ... I'll take the electric." Clementine pointed at the black beauty in his hand.

"That's a pretty good choice." Marlon nodded, handed her the black guitar, and watching her how she hold it. "She's really beautiful, isn't she?"

“Yeah, that's your guitar, right?” Clementine asked, admiring and examining the guitar in her hand.

"Yeah, that's my black widow." Marlon chuckled, crossed his arms. “So don't break it, and show me how you can play, maybe I'll leave it to you then.”

"W-What?" Clementine looked at him with wide eyes.

"You hear well, darlin'!" Louis put his hands on her shoulders from behind. "If anyone could play his guitar so well that it would dazzle the whole audience, he would give that person his favorite guitar."

“You are crazy..” Clementine shook her head, still admiring the beauty in her hands.

"He is." Louis chuckled, staring at him. "He thinks there's no one here who is as good as him, but I think you'll be the one to show him the opposite."

Clementine swallowed, Marlon was definitely one of the best guitarists. She had been convinced of this before when Minnie was still at school. She always listened to them. Adored Marlon playing, and adored Minnie singing.

Louis had been with Clementine the whole time, they were watching the other students perform. Some were really good, and some really messed up.

Meanwhile, she looked several times at Violet, who stretched out in her chair and looked boringly at the performance of each student. It can be seen that she was bored and that she didn't want to be there at all.

She many times yawned, her blond hair was a mess, she ran her hand through her hair, because they fell too much in her face..

Clementine swallowed again, she just found her extremely attractive.

"Okay, guys.." Aasim spoke, stepping closer to the other students. "Next is.. Sarah Mackintosh?"

"That's me! Okay, here I go.” Sarah took a deep breath and headed toward the stage. The others went closer and watched the girl preparing.

Clementine slightly frowned seeing Sarah look so nervous, she seemed to be in trouble, and none of their friends liked it.

Sarah took a few deep breaths and put her violin on her shoulder, raised her right hand and she could see how much her hand was shaking.

It didn't look good at all.

The whole room fell silent, everyone waited for the sound of violin. Sarah seemed to collapse at any moment, Clementine wishing she would just go away from doing it.. But Sarah started playing.

Clementine held her breath, not even know about it. Her friend played well for a few seconds, but then she heard the terrible sounds of the violin, and her whole performance was spoiled. 

Sarah immediately stopped, froze and began to cry, but she wiped her tears and climbed off the stage, started running away from the room, leaving her shocked friends behind.

Mariana followed her immediately, Duck just froze in place, looking toward Clementine, who clearly showed him to follow her.

He seemed to hesitate, but then he sighed and followed them. Clementine knew he wanted to stay, but she knew it was just a stupid performance for her, but it meant much more to Sarah.

"Poor girl, she was scared."

"Yeah .. But she can play, I've heard her several times."

Clementine heard Brody and Sophie behind her, whispering to each other. They embraced each other, looking at the empty podium.

Violet sighed loudly and put her hands in her pockets, seriously bored. She wanted to get up and leave, but Louis stopped her.

"One more show, Violet, please!" Louis begged, waving at her even though they were only a short distance away. "Let's give a chance here.. Uh .."

"Clementine." Violet replied, looked at him annoyed. "It's the last one I'm looking at."

Clementine bit her lower lip, hearing her name from her mouth was something that made her happy. But when she realized that all seniors were staring at her, she froze.

And when she realized that they were waiting for her to climb at the stage with the guitar in her hand to play in front of all those people.. Let's say she wanted to throw up.

She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of all these people, she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Violet. But she holding the guitar in her hand and sitting on that empty chair that is on the stage. She check if the guitar is well set up, her right hand reach to the strings, so she could finally start playing.

Neither did she know what she was doing, she just started playing, and she didn't even know what. She had the feeling that she had begun to reveal her life by playing on that guitar, and then she stopped looking at those people around her.

She close her eyes, remembering all the things she was forced to live through, she ran her fingers through the strings, creating the metal sound of the guitar that was delightful to some listeners.

"That's good." Marlon went to hear, along with the other students.

“Isn't it Nirvana? I feel like I hear Nirvana.” One of the students whispered and Clementine chuckled, maybe it was one of their songs.

Clementine started to play harder and harder. She began to stomped with her right foot, enjoying the sound of an electric guitar.

Her curly hair fell into her face, but Clementine ignored it. The only thing she could think of was her father, as if playing just for him. As if only he was in that room.

And so she began to cry, tears running down her face, and before she realized it, she heard a huge applause from the people watching her.

She opened her eyes and saw the shocked look of the other seniors, she saw Violet who was now standing near the stage and had a smirk on her face, she could swear she saw sparks in her eyes.

It was enough for her to start to feel something like happiness. It was all for her to start crying even more, tears full of joy, and pain.

In all these years in high school, they finally looked at each other, and they both smiled at each other.


	4. Ericson Kids 4

"That was great, Clementine!" Louis proudly proclaimed, spreading his hands, a grin on his face, one of his greatest. Clementine snorted and wiped tears from her face. She never expected to see the seniors applaud her, she never thought she would ever get their attention.

But right now she was getting the attention of almost everyone, including Violet, who was smiling at her. That was one of the things that made her happy. Right now, It wasn't much about her crush on her, it was about the sincere smile they both exchanged. It meant far more to her than the blonde could think.

It made her happy, though it was just a smile. But it meant more to her, she saw real joy in it, and that made her feel that way.

"Come here, darling. I'll help you down." Louis volunteered and approached the stage, stretched out his arms and grabbed the brunette around her waist, then laid her on the floor and put his hands on her shoulders, smiling at her. "I knew you had talent, Clementine."

"I didn't even know what I was doing on that stage." Clementine chuckled, wiping her tears, and then Marlon, who was looking at her in amazement, walked closer to her, his hands in his pocket and smiling at her.

"It was an amazing performance, definitely one of the best I've seen here." Marlon nodded, pointing to the guitar she was still holding. "It's yours now, keep it. Think of it as a gift from me, I hope to see you with her at the event. "

"I .. It means a lot to me." Clementine replied, looking up the black guitar and smiling even more. "Thank you."

The other students began to leave, while Louis was bothering her, she saw the blonde who was leaving the room, too. She was kind of disappointed she was leaving, but she knew it meant nothing, nothing to her.

"That was great." Sophie joined as she broke away from Brody's hug, she was just behind her with her hands crossed. "You definitely showed Marlon here that you can play. You should definitely try it at the event, it would be a shame if I didn't see you there. "

"I ... I'm thinking about it." Clementine sighed and tried to find her friends in the room, but when she realized everyone had gone for what had happened, her eyes widened. "I-I have go now, bye!"

"Of course, see you later!" Louis yelled, waving goodbye and staring as brunete disappeared from the room, Sophie raised one eyebrow at him and put her hands on her hips.

"You like her, don't you?"

-

Clementine ran toward the school corridor, trying to find her friends as she spotted Duck standing at the girl's restroom. She was forced to fight her way through the horde of people, and when she was finally there, she sighed with relief.

"Duck, where's Sarah?" Clementine asked, trying to breathe, leaning against the wall with one hand.

"She's ... She's inside, she's with Mari." Duck sighed, lowering his head. "I ... Clem, I'm sorry I didn't stay-"

"Don't apologize, dummy." Clementine shook her head and put her guitar in his hand. "Don't break her, Duck. I'm going to see what's going on there."

"Huh? Is this guitar yours now?!" Duck widened his eyes, staring at her in amazement, but before he could say anything else, she slammed the door behind her. "I'm so proud of you right now.."

Clementine took a deep breath, hoping Sarah wouldn't be too upset for not running after her when she needed help, when she needed her friends. And because of that, she feel bad.

"I messed up, Mari. You saw it yourself." There were silent sobs, the only sound from the entire room. "I was ready! I thought it would be okay, and then I started shaking.. My whole body, and .. fuck- "

"Such things happen, Sarah. It's okay, don't be so stressed out. "

"Don't I be stressed out when I embarrassed myself in front of all these people?!" Sarah growled, running her hands angrily into their short, brown hair. "I screwed up, and now I look like a fool-"

"You don't look like a fool." Clementine joined, standing just ahead of them, seeing the two girls look at her in shock, she could see on Mariana that she was relieved. "You're not a fool, everyone at this school knows how beautiful you can play, and I bet that you will show everyone who has the real talent here, Sarah."

"I don't know, Clem." Sarah sighed, hiding her face, and her voice sounded a little softer. "I'm scared, I really was. Although I've performed a many times before.. I've never been afraid, I don't understand what's going on with me. Duck probably thinks I'm a total idiot. "

"No, Duck thinks you're amazing, as always." Clementine knelt in front of her, tilted her head to one side, and looked into their eyes. "You're amazing, Sarah. Maybe you have .. Just a bad day, it happens. "

Sarah snorted and wiped tears from her face, Mariana stroking her back, and she decided to surprise the brunette by embracing her. Clementine looked surprised at Mariana, who just smiled at her.

"Thank you, Clem. I guess I'm just having a bad day." Sarah sighed, burying her head in her shoulder. "Sorry we didn't see your performance, how did it go?" Sarah asked, pulling away to look at her, seeing the sparks in Clementine's eyes.

Before Clementine could answer, the three girls were startled when the door was forcibly opened and Duck was terribly frowning.

"Duck, what are you doing here? You can't be here!" Mariana snarled, crossed her arms.

"I'm not going to stand like an asshole in that stupid corridor when Sarah's crying!" Duck sighed annoyed, walked closer. "Sarah, are you-"

"Yeah, I'm okay now." Sarah replied, rising from the ground and deciding to hug him. Clementine smiled at her gesture and smiled even more when she saw Duck blush. "I want to go home."

"You want me to walk you home?"

"Yeah, I'd love that."

While Duck accompanied Sarah home, Clementine and Mariana went for a short walk through the school, spend some time together before going home, both sitting on a bench next to each other, and Mariana was just looking at her new guitar.

"It's amazing that Marlon gave you the guitar, I'm sorry I didn't see you, Clem." She sighed, frowning slightly and not trying to hide her disappointed expression. "I'm glad you decided to play."

"It's all right, Mari. Sarah was more important, and it meant more to her than to me." Clementine nodded, smiling at her friend who looked better thanks to her answer. "It was really nice to play and touch the strings again, I missed it."

Mariana smiled broadly at her, pleased to hear her reply. She was glad to see Clementine look so happy and not like a dead rat. After everything that happened to her, see her smile was something that pleased each of her friends.

"You know.. Sarah was nervous about Duck." Mariana admitted, chuckling slightly. "That's why she messed up, she talked about him all the time, and when he started looking at her, she just ... panicked."

"I noticed." Clementine laughed, showing her teeth lightly. "Sarah is amazing with her violin, I bet she wins it. After all, she has won so many competitions as a little girl."

"Clem?"

"I really hope they get together, I want to finally provoke him. But I hope Sarah won't steal him from me completely, Duck belongs to me anyway, he's my best friend ever since we were kids. Of course I won't let anyone take him from me." Clementine continued, ignoring Mariana who was poking her with her finger.

"Clem .. I think Sulieman is calling you."

"Which reminds me we haven't been out for a long time. Fuck, I have to play with him and all that, I'm starting to miss- "

"Clementine Marsh, stop talking about him and look in my direction!" Mariana snarled, put her hands on her head and turned her toward the very expensive car. "Louis Sulieman is waving at you, can you see him?"

Clementine focused her eyes and looked toward the parking lot when she saw that Mariana wasn't lying, her eyes widened. "Are you sure she's calling me, Mari?" She nervously asked when she saw that Violet was there too, leaned against his car with her hands crossed.

"I think he wants you to-"

"CLEMETINE, COME HERE DARLING, I WANT TO TALK TO- "

Louis stopped screaming when the blonde hit him in his stomach, he immediately put his hands on his wounded part, and grimaced. "Why do you have to beat me all the time, Vi?!"

"Because you yell across the parking lot like a total asshole, just stop!" Violet snarled , angrily entered the car. "Just go for her, idiot!"

Mariana shook her head and stood up from the bench, the brunette staring at her blankly, then noticing Mariana rolling her eyes, pointing at him.

"He probably wants to tell you something, Clem. I'll go with you if you're afraid."

"I don't think we need to go there Mari." Clementine swallowed, got up from the bench and looked at Louis who was almost there, with a huge grin on his face.

"Here's my beloved tangerine!" Louis yelled proudly, spreading his arms and staring at her with sparkles in his eyes. "Vi told me that you live next to her, do you want ride? This pretty princess can go, too."

"No, I'm good."

"Mari?!" Clementine was frightened when she found that she would leave her alone.

"My house is on the other side, and it's just a short walk from my home, I'm good." Mariana nodded quickly, looking at the brunette. "Text me when you're home, bye."

"Did you just-" Clementine stared in shock at her friend who turned and walked away from her, the dreaded boy was still waiting for his answer. She turned to him and noticed his stupid smile, his hands on his hips. "Uh, I ... I don't know-"

"I'll just want to take you home, with that grumpy ass blonde in my car." Louis chuckled, extending his hand to her. "At least nobody steals your guitar, hm?"

"I ... okay, fine." Clementine replied, she honestly didn't know what to think about it.

As they both approached his car, she noticed the blonde in the front seat who was too busy looking at her phone. But when they both entered the car, she raised her head.

"When Vi told me you were neighbors, I was quite surprised." Louis chuckled, his hands on the steering wheel, starting the car.

Louis was still talking, but she wasn't listening him. She was too busy watching Violet who caught her through the rearview mirror. Clementine blushed and tore her gaze, but when she looked again, she noticed the slight smile on Violet's lips.

Clementine couldn't hold the smile that formed on her lips, too. Sitting in that car and being near that blonde was mixing all her feelings together.

"Like I said, you have talent.. Where did you learn to play so well?"

"Uh .." Clementine cleared her throat, trying to sound normal despite that she started exchanged glances with the blonde. "My dad.. He played, and I wanted to try, so he taught me."

"Your dad must be a good musician, then." Louis smiled, but when he noticed her expression, he cleared his neck. "Well, you were really amazing, I hope you changed your mind and I will see you play at the real event."

"I ... I don't know." Clementine sighed, playing nervously with her fingers. "I thought I'd try, but-"

"You should try, you even dazzle Vi. It just doesn't happen that she gets up and go closer, smilling at someone like that." Louis smiled brightly and looked at his friend, who just rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

Clementine talked to him until he stopped the car at her home and they got out of the car. She stared at the blonde who walked in front of her.

Violet was the reason why she started thinking about her orientation. She was the only girl who had fooled her head so much and why she felt like that. Clementine could only see her smile and could fall apart, she was perfect for her eyes.

Only their short glances could make her heart pound more than she could imagine. But it wasn't just about her appearance, it wasn't just about her face. Of course she wanted to talk to her, laugh with her and learn more about her.

But Violet didn't seem to be interested in that.

"Clementine, before you go ... I'd like to ask you something." Louis spoke, forcing her to turn to his car. "I was wondering.. Would you like to go to the cinema with me tomorrow or something?"

And then there was Louis, one of the most popular boys in the whole school. Both by his behavior and by his appearance. The girls were literally crazy about him, and she didn't blame them.

But she wasn't one of those girls.

"I can take you somewhere for dinner, or we can go to me and I can dazzle you with my piano and singing if you want." Louis spoke softly, one of his most beautiful smiles on his face.

"Louis.."

"I could come for you, just say what time and I will be happy to pick you up-"

"I don't want to."

\---

Violet closed the door silently behind her and took off her shoes, went to look into the living room which was connected to the kitchen. As always, she found her drunk father lying on the couch, a pile of empty beer bottles around him, and the whole room was full of cigarette smoke.

She grimaced and muted the TV, not wanting him to wake up. She didn't want him to wake up at all, she'd prefer to keep his mouth shut. Her father was a nasty, disgusting, sweaty bastard that bothers the life of his wife and daughter.

She went to her room and sat on the edge of the bed, removed her jacket and heard the door slam from the hallway. Clementine went home, and after a few seconds, she got a notification.

She pulled her phone out and looked at what Louis wrote her. And what she saw there made her chuckle.

_L: she refused me, she just refused me! i can't.. she's yours, vi_

Though she was sorry for her best friend, she was now determined to win the girl for her own purposes. 


	5. Ericson Kids 5

"Whoah, did you buy a new guitar?!" 

"No, I got it from.. Well, someone." Clementine replied, staring at him with love in her eyes. 

"That's amazing! What do you call her?!"

"Uh .. Black Widow?" She chuckled slightly, watching as he raised one eyebrow. "I didn't give that name.."

"I think you should name her AJ." He nodded enthusiastically, she rolled her eyes at him. 

"Of course, goofball. Half of my stuff is named after you."

"Will you play for me?" He asked, looking at her with dog eyes. "I haven't heard you play for a long time." 

"I .. Another time, AJ. Are you hungry?" Clementine tried to get out of the situation quickly, knowing he'd be bothering her with that all night. "What do you want, kiddo?" 

"I want a cheeseburger." AJ replied and ran to the kitchen. "Shall we go to McDonald?!"

"It's late, AJ." Clementine sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "I can make you a sandwich, and then we go to sleep, what do you say?" 

"Come on, Clem! You know my mom won't let me eat junk food!" AJ puffed up, crossed his arms. "Please! I want a cheeseburger!"

"You only come to see me so I can buy you your favorite junk food, huh?" Clementine looked offended, walked closer to him and tousled his hair. "But I still love you, so take your jacket."

"Yes! Thank you, Clem!" AJ yelled, he quickly took his jacket and shoes, and then opened the front door. "I'm so hungry!" 

"AJ wait! I don't even have my shoes!"

Clementine sighed and quickly took her shoes, she took her wallet and keys and then closed the door behind her. AJ waited for her in the hallway and she froze as she opened the door.

Violet was sitting on the stairs, seeing smoke coming from her. One of the things she didn't like about the blonde was that she smoked. And that was one of the things Clementine really hated.

AJ passed Violet and waved at Clementine who was still standing at the door. Violet glanced in his direction and saw the brunette already staring at her.

Clementine didn't expect Violet to smile at her. 

"Hey .." 

And she never expected Violet to speak to her.

"Clem, come on!" AJ yelled again, waving at her, but she was too busy with the smile Violet had on her face.

"Uh .." Clementine blushed. "H-hey .."

"You don't have to be afraid of me." Violet chuckled slightly, decided to get up and dusted her pants. "Where are you going with your kid?" She asked, put her hands in her pockets and lowered her head to look at her. ¨

Clementine compared to her, was like a dwarf. And she felt as if she were in her imagination. Did the blonde really talk to her, smile at her? Only when AJ shouted again, she woke up from her thoughts.

"I ... I'm going to buy him some food." Clementine replied, trying not to embarrass herself. 

"It's late." Violet spoke and looked toward the long road. "Aren't you afraid?"

"McDonald's just a short walk away." Clementine bit her lower lip and decided to look into her green eyes, which they had long been exploring her. She had a feeling she was getting lost, until AJ clearly showed her to move. "I .. I have to go now."

"Wait, can I come with you?" Violet offered, practically following her long ago. "As I think, well.. I'm hungry too."

"Y-yeah, sure.." Clementine nodded, hiding her red face and letting AJ grab her hand, who frowned at her terribly. "Hey, we're going to buy you food, right?"

"Who's the giant girl?" AJ asked, not afraid to speak out loud, make the blonde laugh.

"V-Violet.." Clementine replied and squeezed his hand, wanting him to stop talking but she knew he wouldn't understand. Her heart beat at high speed when she noticed how close Violet was near her.

"Isn't that the flower?" AJ looked thoughtful, put his other hand to his chin. "I like the flower, it's pretty."

Violet chuckled, showing her teeth. Clementine noticed how she always snorted and closed her eyes for a moment as she laughed too much. She really adored her. 

"I'm going to watch us from monsters!" AJ snapped and released her hand, running a few inches away and Clementine took a deep breath, knowing what he was up to.

"He's your little brother?" Violet spoke and looking at her, examining her. When she saw how nervous Clementine because of her, she considered it a clear win.

_And she had no idea._

"No, AJ's my cousin.." Clementine replied, bitting her lip the whole time. "I .. Um .. Are you mad?"

"Mad? Why should I be mad?" Violet asked, staring at the young boy who carefully examined every place in the dark.

"Louis.. Probably told you what happened." Clementine sighed and looked down. "I just ... I feel bad, I didn't mean to hurt him or anything. I know he's your friend."

_Violet was surprised by what she heard from her._

"Nah, Louis is fine.. He'll probably bother you at school anyway." Violet smiled at her, forcing her to blush even more. "If it bothers you, tell him to leave you alone, he'll stop."

"It's not like that." Clementine shook her head, letting AJ open the door. "I just hope I wasn't too mean with that ... rejection."

"Yeah, he told me how you put him down." Violet chuckled, followed her to the table. "That rejection dropped faster than my finances." She began to imitate his voice, and Clementine looked at her in shock. 

"Oh my god .." She covered her red face, the blonde laughed.

"Clem, let's go eat!" AJ regained her attention, pulling both of them away from their conversation. "I'm really hungry, I want a lot of food." 

"And then mom wonders where all my money is disappearing.." Clementine chuckled and began ordering their food.

\---

After all three had eaten, they were still sitting in McDonald's. AJ was sitting next to Clementine playing games on her phone, Violet sitting across her, and the two were chatting the whole time. 

And surprisingly, it went very well. The two girls had a good time and talked as if they had known each other for a couple of years. Clementine couldn't stop smiling, and Violet was exactly the same. 

_She had completely forgotten the reason why she talk to her at all._

"Louis is sometimes really stupid. He said he'd rather eat a horse's leg than touch a cantaloupe." Violet rolled her eyes and put another chicken nugget in her mouth. "But without him I would be terribly alone, he's like my brother."

"Yeah, I understand that." Clementine nodded with a smile, carefully paying attention to the blonde and listening to her every word. "Duck and I have the same thing. If it hadn't been for him, my life would have been much worse."

AJ listened both secretly and rolled his eyes at that.

"Yeah .. It's like somebody sent that idiot into my life so I can't kill myself." Violet said sincerely. When she noticed Clementine listening to her and looking at her with sparks in her eyes, she felt really good in her presence.

She felt much better than in the presence of all the girls she had in her bed. There was no words, there was only one thing. Their own need, their satisfaction. They never listened to her like the brunette did now. 

"I just ... After Minnie left.. I started to feel alone, a lot." Violet sighed, not realizing what had just come out of her mouth. "I miss her.. I feel that without her presence.. My life is stuck, as if it's just over." 

Clementine wasn't sure what to say. She knew who she was, she knew who Minnie was. She knew it was Violet's love, she knew she made her happy. But when she left, the blonde had terribly changed. She wasn't smiling so much, hardly at all. She became even colder than she was before, far more distant and several months inaccessible. And then she started doing what she does today.

Just ruin your life, bring yourself even more depression.

"Uh.. I didn't plan to talk that much." Violet frowned, straightening her body and glared at AJ, who had his eyes clossed. "Your kid seems to fall asleep."

"Huh?" Clementine's eyes widened when she saw him. AJ was leaning on her shoulder with his body, saliva slowly dripped from his mouth. "Okay.. It's time to go."

\---

"I'm going to sleep, Clem." AJ yawned and rubbed his eyes, wanted to pass, and almost crashed into the door if Clementine didn't open them quickly.

She sighed and turned to the blonde who leaned against the wall, looking directly at her.

"I ... I'm not sure what I want to say." Clementine cleared her neck, decided to take all her courage and look straight into her eyes. "If you ever need to talk or something, you can .. you can talk to me, I won't tell anyone.."

Violet tried not to show the shock expression when she heard her words. The shorter girl surprised her more and more. Both by behavior and grace. 

"I know we don't know each other, but we're neighbors, right?" Clementine scratched her neck. "Just if you have a problem and don't know who to go to, you can knock on my door, I'll help you if I can."

"I .. Okay, thanks." Violet replied, a slight smile formed on her face. "It was nice, thanks for the food."

"No need to thanks me, I wanted to buy you something." Clementine replied, smilling at her. "I have to go to AJ now.. I guess, see you later?"

"Yeah.. sure, goodnight."


	6. Ericson Kids 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry for mistakess

"Clem, get up.. I'm hungry, get up!" AJ began to scream and jump on her bed, only her hands stopping him and pulling him into her embrace. "Come on, wake up!"

"I'm awake, goofball." Clementine murmured, burying her head in his chest. "Come to sleep."

"No, we can't sleep!" AJ shook his head, slapping her cheeks slightly. "Get up, you look like a witch."

"Uh .. Thanks?" Clementine raised one eyebrow, grabbed his tiny hands and stopped him. Then she looked at her phone and her eyes widened. "Fuck, fine.. Let's get up, your mom's coming for you in an hour."

"I don't want to go home." AJ frowned, crossed his arms and sat angrily on the edge of the bed. "Can I stay here with you longer, please, Clem?"

"I'd love to have you here, kiddo." Clementine smiled at him, tousled his hair and climbed out of bed. "But you know how it is, next weekend again, okay?"

"I want to be here with you, why can't I just stay here with you?"

"Your mom would be sad, goofball. Besides, you have a school just like me, you have your duties." Clementine replied, stretching her body and yawning. "Come on, let's eat."

"Will you make me a pancakes?!"

"Everything for you, AJ."

They were sitting next to each other, eating breakfast and laughing all the time, telling jokes and how they would miss each other.

Clementine was sad, too, wishing he would stay with her forever. He was much more than just her cousin, he was like her younger brother. He was her sunshine, that made her day better.

"Clem, teach me to draw zombies."

"Zombies? Why zombies?" She chuckled, looking at the blank paper he had on the table.

"Because they're cool and scary." AJ nodded enthusiastically, looked at her. "I want to paint how we fight against them, save all people we can, and kill the bad."

"You .. You play games a lot, don't you?" Clementine's eyes widened. "Or do you watch too much zombie movies?"

"I think both, but mom won't let me anymore." AJ frowned.

She rolled her eyes, leaned closer, and began drawing with him. That was until they heard the doorbell.

"Fuck, mom came!"

"AJ, language." Clementine rolled her eyes, rose and went to open the door. AJ meanwhile cleaned up his crayons and papers.

"Hi honey." Rebbeca smiled, hugged her, and looked behind her shoulder at the little boy who stood near them, arms crossed.

"Hello Rebecca." Clementine replied, she saw Violet coming out of her apartment. "Thank you for letting AJ stay."

"Of course, you know AJ loves you." Rebbeca nodded, walked past her to greet her son. "Here you are, my strong turtle!"

"Oh my god." AJ grinned, letting his mother embrace him. 

While AJ was tortured by his mother, Clementine had time to look at the blonde who had been watching her long ago, with a smile on her lips.

She blushed, waved her slightly. Violet winked at her and leaned against the wall. She made her blush even more.

"Okay, let's go." Rebbeca spoke, took AJ things and let him say goodbye.

"Clem, I'll gonna miss you." AJ complained, wrapped her arms around her waist and buried his head in her stomach, frowning terribly.

"You too, goofball." Clementine laughed sadly, ruffling his hair. "But we don't see each other for the last time, you know that."

"Yeah .. I know." AJ murmured, hugging her tighter. "See you next time, Clem!"

"Of course, kiddo." Clementine replied, waving goodbye to him.

When the front door closed and she heard Rebbeca's car leaving the parking lot, she sighed. She wished Rebbeca wouldn't come back for him. She wished AJ would stay with her.

She crossed her arms and bit her lower lip. Every time AJ left, it made her sad, a lot. Sometimes there were times when she had tears on the edge, she hated saying goodbye to him.

"Are you okay?" Fortunately, Violet tore her from her thoughts, she stood near her. "That made you pretty sad."

"Yeah .. It always makes me sad." Clementine chuckled sadly, wiping her tears. "I hate it when he leaves."

"Yeah .. I can see that." Violet nodded, clearing her neck "Hey.. I was wondering.. Don't you want to go to the park? Walk with me? Maybe it will improve your mood."

Clementine's eyes widened, turning her entire body on the tall girl to see if she really meant it. When she saw how serious Violet was, she was quite surprised.

"Yeah .. Why not." Clementine accepted, took a deep breath. "I'll go with you."

\---

"You know.. You didn't have to buy me ice cream, I'd buy it myself." Clementine smiled, staring at her. "But thank you."

"No need to thanks me, I wanted to buy you something." Violet smirked, forcing her to roll her eyes, Clementine knew what she was referring to. "You should eat it, the chocolate is slowly flowing down your fingers."

"Shit, you're right." Clementine panicked, trying to lick the chocolate from her fingers, not even realizing the blonde was staring at her. "F-fuck, I'm sorry."

Clementine began to blush deeply, hearing her laugh.

"I don't mind teasing." Violet grinned, putting her ice cream to her mouth. "Do you want to taste mine?"

"What-what?" Clementine's eyes widened, she looked into her green eyes and then her strawberry ice cream. "I .. Well-"

"Relax, tangerine." Violet chuckled and started eating her ice cream. "Are you a little better now?"

"Yeah .. I am." Clementine swallowed, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "Thank you, I mean .. For the ice cream, and that I could go to the park with you."

Violet grinned even more when she heard what she said, leaving her time to realize herself.

"F-fuck .. I'm so .. oh my god." Clementine hid her face. "I ... No, fuck."

Violet burst out laughing.

"So stupid.." Clementine sighed. "I'm so-"

  
"Fucking cute." Violet smiled brightly at her, staring at her reddish face. Then stared at her whole hand covered in chocolate, stared at her curly hair flying in the air. "That's you are."

Clementine looked at her in shock. She didn't even realize that the ice cream had dropped to her floor, that her hand is covered in full chocolate, but at that moment she could only focus on those green eyes she looked deeply into.

The words that came out of Violet's mouth were something unexpected to her. She would never think she would sit with her crush in the park, that she would buy her ice cream and tell her something like that.

They both smiled at each other, both lost in each other's eyes. They didn't even realize how long they stared at each other until they were interrupted by a strong breeze that pushed their hair into their faces.

Violet's brow furrowed, she put few hair behind her ear and looked back at the brunette who was still staring at her.

"Do you like to stare at me?" Violet chuckled.

"You're beautiful."

"W-what?"

"N-nothing! Nothing!" Clementine replied quickly, looking away from her. "Fuck, I dropped the ice cream."

"You really think I'm beautiful?"

"Of course you're beautiful, why do you ask that?" Clementine shook her head, staring into her eyes and completely changing her attitude. "And you're cute, too."

Violet's eyes widened, looking shocked at the girl she had in front of her.

Violet was shocked to hear what the brunette said, she was surprised at how Clementine was staring at her with the astonishment in her eyes, and how she was not afraid to tell her that.

None of the girls she spent time with told her that. Nobody praised her, none of them told her she was beautiful.

She only heard one thing from them, and that was how good she was in bed. That's why Clementine surprised her with what she said. That's why Violet stiffened, and her brow furrowed.

"Hey .. You're okay? I didn't say anything wrong, did I?"

"No .. No, you didn't say anything wrong." Violet replied, smilling. "You're beautiful too, tangerine."

\---

The girls in each other's presence felt as if they had known each other for a long time.

Clementine felt more comfortable in her presence, more open and not afraid to speak first. And Violet was surprised by her style of behavior.

Mostly Clementine would have long been in her bed, moaning beneath her. But instead, she decided to sit with her on the stairs in the night, staring at her as she played the guitar.

Let's say they spent the whole day together, and they didn't mind at all.

And Violet felt much better. Clementine was able to bring her on other thoughts, she managed to make her feel better and smile more.

And Violet was glad, just talk and watch the stars together. Listen to the curly girl playing tones that bring delight to her ears. That was something that was really nice after a long time, for both of them.

"Did you really like it? I don't even know what I played there." Clementine chuckled, straightening the guitar on her lap.

"You know how to play, definitely." Violet nodded, staring as her fingers ran through the strings. "I thought you were playing one of Evanescence's songs, it sounded so sad and deep, I guess."

"Huh.. A lot of people said they heard Nirvana."

"Maybe it was Nirvana and Evanescence together."

"That.. That must have sounded really awful." Clementine laughed.

"I liked it." Violet replied, she decided to run her finger through the guitar. "Marlon is an asshole, but he knows how to play and what guitar to choose. This one is definitely good."

"I still feel bad that I have his guitar." Clementine confessed, frowning slightly. "I feel I just don't deserve it."

"You deserve it." Violet replied, and looked up at the stars. "Marlon looked at you with amazement, just like the others."

Clementine sighed, she wondered what kind of music she could play at such a late night. Violet listened to her, and she wanted to make sure she liked it.

"Violet?"

"Mhm?" Violet murmured, still staring at the stars and tilted her head. 

"Do you like Witcher music?" Clementine asked, a slight grin on her face. "I can play a few songs."

"Isn't that the book?" Violet broke away from looking at the sky and looked at her, looking thoughtful. "I think I saw it somewhere near Aasim, he's a terrible bookworm."

"Yeah .. Or a game, you could say." Clementine nodded with a smile. "I used to play with my dad, sometimes I played those songs to remember those nice memories. I can play you something if you want." 

"Yeah .. I want to hear you play again." Violet smiled, putting her knees to her chest and hugging herself. "You said your dad taught you to play guitar." 

"Yeah .. Dad taught me." Clementine replied, straightened her body and started playing the guitar slowly. "He taught me a lot of things." 

"What kind of things?" 

"How to tie your shoelaces." Clementine chuckled, giving one look to Violet, who just rolled her eyes at that. "What? It's important." 

"Yeah, of course." Violet nodded ironically.

"No, okay .. Dad taught me a lot of things, like how to say goodbye, to someone."

"That's pretty hard to learn."

"And it's hard to do it." Clementine sighed sadly, stopping to play. "But I could do it, I just couldn't say goodbye to him." 

"Yeah .. I can imagine that." Violet stared at her and noticed the sad expression, but Clementine quickly disguised him with her smile as she noticed she was looking at her. 

Clementine after a few seconds, started playing more seriously, concentrating on it. Violet closed her eyes and was carried away by the sound of the guitar. She felt like she was in another life, far from all the problems she had. She just focused on the music and how Clementine played.

The brunette showed her something new. Something that had long been missing in her life. After a long time, she felt there was someone who didn't want her for one thing. Someone who wants to talk to her. Someone who wants to listen to her and laugh with her. 

After Minnie left, those were the things she missed. Even though she had friends, she needed much more attention from someone. And she got that attention from the curly girl who was too focused on the guitar and didn't notice Violet staring at her. 

So small, yet so harsh-looking. The scar on her forehead and lip, those honey golden eyes that glowed in the sun. Or her thick curly hair, when Violet had a terrible desire to touch them. 

She would have done it a long time ago, she would have long ago been trying to seduce her to achieve what she'd wanted since she'd seen her play on that stage. 

But she didn't do it, because she saw something more in this. She needed this, she needed to talk to someone.

And Clementine was actually really nice girl.


	7. Ericson Kids 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> .. sorry for mistakes, uh.

Like every day she was in school, Clementine and the others sat at their place. Everyone was waiting for the school to begin, so they were killing time by hanging out on school grounds.

Some spent time tutoring. Some spent time playing games on the phone or on laptops. And some were spending time by smiling and staring at their crush.

And when that person looked at you and smiled too - It was just something wonderful.

"Why are you so suddenly smiling, Clem? Any nice boy in sight?" Sarah asked, turning the way the brunette looked, but had no idea who she was looking at. "Come on, tell me!"

She didn't answer her, she was too busy blushing and thinking about last night.

"What's going on with her?" Sarah spoke to herself, giving her one last look before she started to do her things again.

It wasn't long before Mariana and sweaty Duck joined the table.

"Uh, Duck, why are you so sweaty?" Sarah asked, grimacing and pulling away from him as he sat beside her.

"I had to run, I forgot something at home." Duck replied, taking off his sweatshirt and taking a deep breath. "Clem, hey."

Clementine tore her eyes away from the bright blonde and looked at Duck. "Hey, Duck."

"Oh, so you answer Duck but not me?! You're mean, Clementine." Sarah snorted.

"Clementine's head in the clouds, you can't blame her." Mariana joined in, pulling her favorite book out of her backpack, not bothering to look up to see what a puzzled look Sarah had on her face. "Louis Sulieman took her home."

“WHAT?!!” Sarah shouted so loud that she had caught the attention of a few students around, she immediately lowered her head and watched Clementine curiously. "Is that true?!"

Duck had a straw in his mouth and stopped drinking his drink. He looked at all three girls, wide-eyed, shocked.

"You left me there, Mari! With them!"

"I'm not gonna be the third wheel." Mariana replied, boringly turned another page of the book.

"There was Violet too, Mari!"

"W-Wait, what?!” Duck asked, his shocked expression spoke for everything. 

Clementine had indicated with her eyes that she would tell him later, now she had to deal with the way Sarah looked at her and how curious she was. But seeing Mariana's eyes moving from her book to her, she knew she was curious too.

"He just took me home." Clementine announced, trying not to give them too much detail. "We were talking, that's all."

"Yeah, because it's perfectly normal that Louis just take you home, he invited you out, isn't he?!"

.. Clementine really didn't want to say that she refused him. 

There was a bell, and that was her chance to get out of the conversation quickly. Duck, as her best friend, gets up first and pulls her by her wrist straight to school. Far from them, toward a small alley.

"Clem, tell me the details!" Duck insisted, widening his eyes.

Clementine leaned against the wall and bit her lip, unable to keep the smile on her face unnoticed. “Louis took me home, along with Violet. Let's say I spent the whole weekend with her.”

“Clem, finally!” Duck quietly yelled, wrapping his strong hands around the girl so much he began to crush her. She whined but hugged him too. "That's so great, you made me happy-"

"What ... What are you two doing here?"

"Fuck." Duck whispered under his breath, gently pulled away and turned his body to Sarah, who glared at them both. He scratched the back of his neck and tried to smile. "N-Nothing, we just talked about something."

"We should go." Clementine muttered, walking past the girls toward her locker. Duck walks beside her and just then, Violet and her bunch of friends are walking beside them.

She stops her breath and makes eye contact with the blonde who has been watching her long ago. She smiles beautifully at Clementine, who blushes deeply at her smile and hears Violet chuckle. Louis didn't notice, he was too busy conversing with Marlon. But Duck noticed.

"You got it so bad." Duck grins, looks at her with a mischievous look. 

She slams him on the shoulder, her face reddering. “Shut up, Duck.”

Sarah sees their interactions and becomes suspicious, and for the rest of the day she doesn't talk to both of them, avoids them. But Duck won't let it go and runs around her, trying to save it.

“Sarah is terrible.” Clementine sighs, holds her head with her hands and looks at her. Duck sits beside her, seeing he's desperate about the situation. "We were just talking!”

"When you get caught alone in some alley where you whisper together and you're so close to each other, it honestly looks strange, Clem." Mariana says, looking thoughtful. "Are you sure you don't feel anything about Duck?"

“Oh my god, Mari, no!” Clementine says, shaking her head desperately, her brow furrowed. "Never, Duck is like my brother, should I tell this a hundred times?!”

"And do you feel anything about someone?" And that was when she froze and stopped completely in everything she was doing. "If Sarah knew you liked someone else, she would stop doing this."

That's it. The moment she can tell her. But even if she opens her mouth she closes it several times, she just can't do it, not yet. And Mariana watches her, watches her expressions, then sighs deeply.

"You don't have to worry about telling me, I'll keep it to myself, I swear." Mariana says, placing her hand gently on her shoulder. "I won't tell, I won't scoff at you or anything."

"I like someone, okay, Mari?" Clementine sighs, bites her lip. "But it's not Duck, I .. It doesn't matter, it's just not Duck."

Mariana nods and pulls away from her, devoting herself to a teacher who is just saying something. Clementine sits practically frozen on her chair, watching Duck as he feels her gaze and turns to her. It wasn't long before Sarah looked in his direction and frowned terribly again.

Clementine sighs, sincerely pitying Duck in such a situation.

“Everyone has something they like about their crush. Whether it's a boy or a girl, I won't judge you, Clem.”

And she swallows, unable to look at Mariana who is studying her again. The aura around them tensed, but the two girls remained silent. And she realizes that because of her non-speaking, she doesn't even object, and therefore she realizes that Mari maybe knows.

* * *

“I'm sorry, Duck. I know how Sarah can be stubborn.” Clementine sighs on the phone, she's on her way home, walking down the sidewalk, ignoring all those people around. “No, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything.”

She looks forward and sees a car passing through the road that belonged to Marlon, probably already on their way home. “Don't blame yourself, stop it. She just likes to cause stupid drama, just ... Just tell her we're friends, like brother and sister!”

She's busy answering Duck and she's busy thinking about her friend Mari. She didn't mind if she knew, but she'd mind if the others knew. But she trusted her, and she hoped she wouldn’t tell anything.

"I'm fine, Duck, just ... Mari may know." Clementine sighs again, just a short distance from her home. "I don't know, she just .. You know, she's clever and stuff - Yeah, I'm a little scared.”

While Clementine is busy talking to Duck, Louis's car was stopped at the sidewalk. He and Violet were near the car when they talked, and he was the first one to notice the short, curly girl.

“CLEMENTINE!!” 

She is startled and almost throws the phone to the ground, ending unwanted call and holding the phone in her hand. She looks shocked and frightened as Louis approaches her - with his typical grin, his dramatic attitude.

“I didn't see you today, my dear!!” Louis said, his tone of voice excited. He put his hands on his hips and winked at her. "I know you can resist me, but you don't have to hide from me!"

.. She felt really uncomfortable now.

“The rejection was very vivacious, very emotional and.. simply. I liked it, you're unavailable.” Louis said again, approaching a little and Violet stood just behind him. With her hands crossed, her eyes rolling every moment as she watched him. "But I want to apologize for my behavior, I didn't mean to scare you.”

"I should apologize, Lous, you have nothing to apologize for -"

"Uh huh, don't say anything!" Louis said, putting his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezing her, his grin still playing on his face. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"F-Friends?" Clementine stammered, looking at him with wide eyes.

“We are friends! Just like you are now a friend with Violet! She told me how you spent time together and I'm so glad she smiled so much after a long time! Thank you for taking care of her!” Louis said, starting to hug her and crushing her. "Violet can be very stubborn, barely speaking to someone, you know."

“Louis.” The blonde who have still crossed her arms, said. "Stop with that."

Clementine swallowed, took a deep breath as Louis pulled away from her and returned his attention back to his longtime friend. She had time to think about what was happening at all.

Louis, who hugs her so hard that she can't breathe, and Violet who rescues her, hinders her. She doesn't understand what is happening, even if the situation is chaotic but .. She likes it.

"Okay, okay!" Louis said, gesturing a defending gesture with his hands. "I'm going then, thank you - Clementine, you don't have to worry about me, it was really sexy by the way!" Louis's last words when he went dramatically to his car and waved at both Clementine and Violet. "See you later, Vi!"

They both watched Louis's car leave, and when the air was finally clear from the dramatic actor, Violet turned to the curly girl.

"Are you okay?" Violet asked, even though she seemed like a cold person, there was a care in her eyes. "I know what Louis can be, he won't give anyone a peace."

“Y-Yeah, I'm fine.” Clementine said, chuckling lightly and went up the stairs with her. "I'm just glad he's not offended, hurt, I guess."

"I told you he'd be fine." Violet muttered, walked slowly to her door, but didn't open it yet. "You should get a tape because now, he will bother you whenever he can."

“.. Why should I have a tape?”

"So you can shut his mouth off." Violet said, a slight smirk appeared on her face as she opened the door and slowly slid in. "Bye, Clem."

To hear her nickname from Violet's mouth was something that made her blush deep, freeze in place, and force her fingers to squeeze the door handle as much as possible.

“F-fuck.” Clementine murmured under her breath, giving Violet a last look and slipping in as quickly as possible. Then she leaned against the door and closed her eyes, unable to hold it and began to smile brightly. "You don't even realize what you're doing to me, Violet."

And then she stared laughing. Because she is lucky that Violet is her neighbor. She is lucky because she was able to spend the whole weekend with her and most of all she was able to talk to her without a big embarrassment that would make the blonde to stop talking to her.

.. She really appreciated that she was talking to her, and she planned to show her how much she appreciated her presence.

* * *

The right drama begins the night Clementine is in her room.

She sits on the edge of her bed, holding the guitar Marlon gave her. She had no desire to play computer games, and honestly playing guitar had always been better thing to improve her mood.

That's why she played and played, practiced and tried to find the right melody -

_"You're fucking drunk, get out!!"_

She was terrified by the yelling and loud banging from the hallway, knowing that something was happening again in the Aldon family. And she hoped Violet was all right.

_"You'll have to respect me, I am your father you fucking bitch!!"_

Clementine sighed and leaned her guitar against her bed, sitting dull and forced to listen to what they were arguing about again.

Sometimes she heard full sentences but most of the time, she heard only curses and curses, followed by a loud banging and shattering of glass that could be heard across the corridor.

It was a disadvantage of being their neighbor, and at times she was afraid of Violet’s life.

And so she spent two hours listening to the same things over and over. She was unable to do anything but lie on the bed and run through her social networks, because what else could she do when someone she liked was in danger? She couldn't play, listen to music or anything else.

.. But when she heard the door slam and then the muffled silence, she dropped the phone beside her on her bed and stared stupidly at the ceiling. She was expecting another huge blow because Violet liked to do it when she left late at night. But this time she heard nothing but silence.

But after a few long minutes she heard the ringing at the door that frightened her, but she was still able to get out of bed and walk to the door, where she took a deep breath and put her hand on the handle, slowly opened the door and her eyes widened.

“Hey, Clem. Do you have time, or.. should I leave?”

Violet stood outside the door. With the wounds from her hands and the blood running down from her cheek, blood dried on her shirt and eyes full of pain that forced Clementine to have tears on her edge.

"Of course, Violet, come in."

It was her moment when she could really help the older girl.


	8. Ericson Kids 8

Clementine closed the door behind her and watched the blonde stand in the hallway. As she looks around and stops at those "embarrassing" family photos that she curiously looks at.

So before she discovers her most embarrassing photos, Clementine comes to her. "We can go to my room, I'm home alone - Mom is at work." She said, swallowing hard and letting her come in. Violet went to sit on the edge of the bed and she followed her.

"Thanks, Louis is busy now and I really didn't want to call anyone." Violet sighed, running her hand over her hair. "My dad is a terrible asshole right now."

Clementine bit her lip, just seeing Violet touch her hair and she totally started to have a gay panic. She was desperate, she knew that about herself.

"I just ... I have enough. He makes us terrible problems, throws things at me and all this." Violet mutters, hiding her face in frustration. "I just don't know what to do, every time I see his face.. I just blow up."

Clementine gave her a pitying look, tilted her head and examined her shaking hands. "Is your dad always like that?"

"Ever since I was a fucking kid, yeah. When he found out I wasn't interested in boys, he was even worse." Violet frowned so badly that it frightened her. "But I don't care, I just want him to leave my life and my mother's life, forever."

Clementine sighed and studied her for a moment, she was just seeing the pain hiding in her eyes, how she was trying to stop those tears that wanted to flow from her eyes. - It was a lot for her, seeing her in that state was nothing satisfying.

"Wait here, I'll get a few things." Clementine muttered, she got up and walked out of the room. She let Violet sit in the same place with her thoughts. She got into the bathroom where she took all the necessary things and then she came back to her.

This time she sat closer to her and placed things on the bed. She saw Violet staring curiously at her. Clementine pointed at her hand and the scratch she had on her face. "Can I help you with that?"

"It's nothing." Violet said, still giving her hand and watching her.

"Here's a pretty deep scratch." Clementine frowned, her finger carefully running around her wounded skin. 

Instead of looking at her injured hand and to what brunette pointing .. She looked at her face. As she carefully wiped the blood from her scratches with the utmost caution and gentleness. As she wrinkled her eyebrows and pulled out a piece of her tongue out without realizing it. Her big eyelashes and cuteness, her serious look and care..

.. She smiled at the sight of her.

"Sorry, I only have patches with a Disco Broccoli." Clementine sighed, she was pulling patches out of the box. "AJ is a big fan."

Violet snorted as she saw what she was putting on her hand. "AJ likes disco broccoli?"

"Yeah, he loves it." Clementine smiled, gently sticking it there. "Well, your hand is done - Fuck, your face!"

“What?” Violet chuckled.

"You have a straight line of blood right on your cheek."

"That's sexy." Violet showed her teeth thanks to her laughter, completely bringing her another gay panic. "Give me a patch there, too?"

"Do you want the Disco Broccoli patch on your face?" Clementine asked, an amused look on her face. "It won't be too sexy, though."

"It's night anyway, I'll take it off tomorrow."

Clementine nodded and took a deep breath, watching Violet's amused expression and swallowing. She put her hand uncertainly on her face and began to care of her scratch, then she carefully wiped the blood off her face and when she realized she was actually touching her face - She just panicked.

Violet saw it and started laughing. "You're adorable."

And that was the moment when she blushed so deeply it made the blonde laugh even more.

“You don't have to be so nervous around me, Clem. I'm not adorable.” Violet muttered, waiting for her reaction.

"You are adorable!" Clementine immediately said offended, frowning at her and making her laugh again.

“I love your incredibly fast mood swings. Once you are super shy and silly, and then you're in the mood to say everything straight.” Violet shook her head in amusement.

“.. That’s not true.”

"Yeah, it is." Violet nodded, watching her embarrassingly take things out of bed and put them away. "I still remember that weekend, in the park when—"

"No! Don't say that, please!" Clementine snorted, stuffed her fingers in her ears and closed her eyes. "That was terrible, I want to forget it."

Violet snorted and ran her hand through her hair, looked amused once more at the short girl who stood with her back to her, then the smile disappeared from her face. "I should probably go."

"Are you sure?" Clementine asked, turning to look at her, worried. "Your father.."

"He’s probably already dead on the couch, or not, I don't know." Violet muttered, her mood getting cold again. "I've been bothering you enough, I'll go to Louis-"

"Violet, stay here."

"What?"

Clementine froze with her words as well. "You c-can stay here, you can sleep here and then leave in the morning. It's too late to go outside."

"You sure?" Violet asked, scratching her neck. "You don’t mind?"

"Well, it's okay." Clementine bit her lip, nodded to her. "You can sleep in my bed."

"Where will you be?" Violet asked, raising an eyebrow at her and watching her.

".. Couch, the living room."

Violet shook her head with a chuckle, then went deeper into bed. "Just lie here, beside me, I won't bite you."

Clementine froze on the spot at those words and fantasies, staring blankly at the empty space beside Violet who was by the wall.

Violet lifted her head from the pillow and leaned on her elbows, looking at her. "Or do you want me to bite you?"

And she widened her eyes, looked at the blonde in shock and closed her mouth several times, hearing Violet snort.

"Come on, dummy, I won’t.”

“..Okay.” Clementine muttered under her breath, she sat uncertainly on the edge of her bed and unzipped her sweatshirt. She bit her lip and lay down on the pillow beside her, Violet was lying on her back looking at the ceiling, her hands on her stomach.

Clementine looked in her direction and noticed how pleased and amused she looked, it made her happy. But when she saw the blood on her white shirt, she frowned.

"Violet, do you want to borrow my shirt? You know, the blood.”

The blonde turned on her and smiled, her eyes scanned her. "Like, yours? Fine, undress."

"W-what?! No, I'll lend you a shirt from the closet!" Clementine hid her face, blushing madly when she saw the way she looked at her.

Violet burst out laughing and shook her head over her silly behavior. "It's fine, silly, it's just a shirt. I doubt you'd survive if I undressed in front of you."

"..Stop, please."

"Then go to sleep, dumbass."

Clementine cursed herself and turned her back on the girl, still blushing. But even so, she was really glad that she could spend time with her. Although she was embarrassing, but when it meant Violet laughing and hearing her snorting, she didn’t mind.

"..Clem?"

Clementine opened her eyes, hearing her voice in such a hoarse tone was another gay panic for her. "Yeah?"

"..Thank you for taking care of me, letting me stay here."

And she smiled because she had succeeded and was able to help the blonde at least a little.

Even if it meant just sleep, even if it meant to take care of her scratches by putting on them disco broccoli patch. She was really glad.

* * *

The next day, Clementine wakes up first.

She opens her eyes lazily and realizes immediately that her mom is coming home from work in a few minutes. There's nothing wrong with that - If she hadn't seen the blonde lying near her, her hand wrapped around her stomach and her head buried at her shoulder.

Clementine swallowed, the blonde had to move to her while she was sleeping.

She doesn't have time to rejoice that her her crush was hugging her and spending the night with her. She has no time to rejoice in sleeping in one bed, right next to each other.

.. She had to make sure she left until her mom came from work.

Clementine swallows and carefully taps her cheek with her finger, the blonde wrinkling her eyebrows and muttering in her sleep.

"Cute." Clementine whispers, smiling at the look when Violet sleeps happily. But she knew she had to wake her. "Violet, wake up, open your eyes."

Violet exhaled deeply and tightened her grip around her. Clementine bites her lip and tries to fight her inner self.

"Come on, you have to get up."

"What's so important that you make me wake up?" Violet asked in a hoarse voice, and she realizes she's conscious and hugs her anyway.

.. Clementine is really trying not to smile like an asshole, but she couldn't stand it.

"You have to get up, Violet. Mom will be home soon and if she sees you in my bed—"

"We didn't sleep together. You're not naked, I'm not naked, relax."

"Violet, come on!" Clementine whined, though she didn't really want to get away from her grip, she had to. "Gotta - Fuck!"

Violet lifted her head and looked behind the bed where she saw Clementine lying on the floor. "You fell, silly?"

Clementine huffed and looked away. "I don't know."

.. And when she sees those tousled hair going to either side and her tired eyes, she can't stand it and blushes. Violet was just perfect in her eyes.

"Fine, then." Violet sighed, lazily slipping her legs to the edge of her bed and rubbing her eyes. "I'll go home."

Clementine sighs in relief and immediately hears the door opening. "No! Violet, wait!"

"What?" Violet asked, her voice still hoarse and she seems to be still asleep. She stands at the door and holds her hand on the handle.

Clementine bites her lip and looks quickly at her room, then sees the window from which she can climb. "Go through the window!"

"What?!"

"Violet, it's the first floor, you won't break anything but if my mom sees you-"

"Fine, fine, I'm going through the window!" Violet whispered, walked lazily to the window, which she opened a little more violently and slipped one foot, the she turned and smirked at her. "I heard what you said, don't whisper next to my face next time, tangerine."

And with that, Violet jumps out the window and lets blankly staring and blushing Clementine still sitting on the ground.

"Clementine, honey, I'm home." She hears the voice of her mother who has successfully opened the door.

Clementine is biting her lip seriously trying to hide that constant smile, but Violet just does whatever she wants with her. And she doesn't complain, she likes it.

.. In her bed slept Violet Adlon, her crush. Who wouldn't freak out by that?!

* * *

Clementine and Duck have PE associated with seniors and other juniors. Common games are played mostly a small Dodgeball tournament.

"You're killing me with this information, Clem!" Duck hissed, squeezed the girl's shoulders and smirked at her. "Sleeping in one bed, really?!"

"Duck, shut up!" Clementine laughed, pulled his hands away and shook her head. Immediately afterwards she looked to the other side where she saw the seniors lined up. "You're too noisy."

"I'm too loud, and you wonder why?!" Duck jumped with joy, forcing a few people to look at him strangely. "That's amazing, Clem, I'm really glad!"

Clementine shook her head and still had the same smile on her face, embracing Duck unexpectedly around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "Thanks, Duck."

After a moment she feels his strong hands around her, Duck literally squeezing her and choking her in his embrace. "I'm really glad I don't have to watch you drool over her."

"Shut up." Clementine murmured, moving gently with him sideways.

"If Sarah saw this, I doubt she would still be with you, Duck."

And both of them rolled their eyes as they were forced to pull away to see the frowning expression of Gabe, hands crossed and his typical beanie on his head. His hair beneath was wet and disheveled.

"We're friends, don't you understand?" Duck said, and he crossed his arms and furrowed his eyes at him. "Clem has been my best friend since childhood, we are like a brother and a sister."

"I'm not saying anything, I just heard what Mariana told me. Sarah is in a bad time, you should be more interested in her if you like her."

"I try to be with her all day! Because of that, I can't spend time with anyone else. I don't spend time with my dad because I'm with her!"

"Then you have to spend more time with her." Gabe said emptyly, turned with a snort and walked away. Clementine stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"He's really an asshole, isn't he?" Duck murmured, watching him angrily.

"Yeah, Mari is perhaps the only normal one." Clementine sighed, stopped paying attention to him and turned toward the gym. "What about you and Sarah, Duck?"

"I don’t know." Duck sighed, stepped behind her and looked at Mitch as he began to “fight” with Marlon. "I tried, really. But she just ... She won't let me, she doesn't like anything."

“Girls are terrible about this, just give her a little more time and be close to her." Clementine nodded, raising her head to look at him. "And if she still has her bullshit, I'll throw her through the window."

"I'll help you with that."

Clementine chuckled and shook her head at his serious expression. Sarah and Gabe began to exaggerate, as if they had joined together against them. They just don't want to believe they're just friends.

.. And slowly, it made Clementine angry.

After a few minutes, the teacher came in and lined up the juniors with the seniors.

"Marlon and David, you are the captains of two teams. Start choosing players." The teacher said, pointing at the blond boy and then at the black-haired one. "There will be a small tournament today, play well!!"

If Clementine was interested in a tournament? No, she was interested in that night and the flirt bullshit Violet had on her.

.. She still had her head in the clouds without realizing she was elected to Marlon's team, along with Duck hitting her shoulder.

"Come on." Duck made a gesture with his head and pointed to the side of Marlon's team. She nods and follows him, paying no attention to passers-by and just smiles.

And when she sees Violet leaning against a wall with her typically hands crossed - And without that cold mood but with a happy face and that beautiful smile on her face, she just smiles even more.

But before she could wave her or something, Louis appeared in front of her with his typical, big grin. "Hey, darling."

Duck snorted and looked at her, then at a bunch of boys waving at him. "I'll go greet them."

Clementine nodded at him, then turned her gaze back to Louis, who stood with the same expression, just put his hands on his hips.

"I told Marlon to put you and your faithful friend on our team, we'll play together!" Louis said enthusiastically, grabbed her hands gently and dragged her into the corner where his bunch of friends were. "I like this class, play with the lower grade and watch all those girls drool over me!"

"Oh my god." Violet muttered and shook her head.

"Really, Louis? You're an idiot." Marlon chuckled, and after a while Mitch jumped on his back.

"You two are idiots when you jump at each other like little kids."

"Shut up, Soph, you'd be happy to jump on Mitch." Marlon said, and Sophie terribly frowned at him.

"Idiots, fucking idiots." Brody growled, hugging her girlfriend from behind.

"They are, my princess. But let's leave these two poor idiots and let's get ready to play!" Louis said, his hands were still on her shoulders from behind. "Clementine is our great reinforcement here, with her curly beautiful hair."

"Hey, Clem." Sophie greeted, swinging sideways with Brody. "I heard you're a great friend with Violet."

Clementine bit her lip, trying to keep her cheeks from warming up again.

"With how fast they go, I think it's going to be a wedding in a week, honestly." Louis grinned, squeezing her shoulders provocatively.

"Don't you all want to shut up?" Violet rolled her eyes and glanced at Clementine. "Everything good at home?"

"Y-yeah." Clementine muttered, looking stupidly at the tips of her shoes.

"Let's play, get ready!" The teacher yelled and then whistled, his hand pointing where the teams would be. "I want a good game, be careful not to hit anyone in the head!"

Clementine is busy smiling at Violet, who is happy to give her a smile back. Others begin to notice, and Louis keeps grinning.

"When do you propose to her, Vi?" Louis whispered in her ear, his hands behind his back. "I want to be your priest!"

"Louis." Violet shook her head with a laugh as she walked away from him but he followed her anyway. "Just shut up and play, will you?"

Louis smiled sincerely and gave one glance to the curly girl who smiled something while talking to Duck. He knew how she was affecting his friend. And he was glad there was someone who was able to really help her from that redhead.

Seeing Violet smile again and actually laugh was something very amazing. It was the same for Brody, for whom Violet really meant a lot. She, on the other hand, glared at the brunette. But she knew what effect she had on Violet a becauce of that, she didn’t say anything. She knew Violet was feeling better because of her, and she was okay with that.

.. Until Clementine does something that hurts Violet, she wasn’t okay with that.

"Louis, catch!" Marlon yelled at his friend, who was too busy bothering a certain brunette to notice a ball flying right into his head.

"Louis!" Violet yells and grabs the ball just before he slams his skull. "Watch the game, idiot!"

"Sure, my love!” Louis made a gesture like a soldier, watched as Violet threw the ball right into the crotch of the same player, and he grinned at him." That was .. Very impressive. "

“Ouch." Duck grimaced as he saw the boy writhing in pain. He looked at the blonde who cursed Louis for his behavior. "She's rough, isn't she?"

Clementine nodded and winked several times. She couldn't stand how much hot Violet looked in that black t-shirt and in the shorts, along with her ponytail she had like Geralt. "F-Fuck."

"Stop drooling!" Duck growled, grabbed her by her waist and lifted her into the air.

"Duck, put me down!" Clementine started to laugh.

Though Clementine knew how to play really well, she just couldn't concentrate. She let the others play, watching Marlon playing, Mitch or Duck playing, and most of all, the blonde who still had the energy to throw balls to all the crotch boys.

And then, before she could react, she got the ball right into her face.

"Clementine!"

"Oh my god, idiots on every corner!"

She fell right on her ass and her vision was blurred, instinctively puts her hand on her head and frowns.

"Clem, are you okay?" He hears Violet's voice, finds that the older girl is kneeling beside her, and Duck and Louis run up to her.

"I guess." Clementine snorted, rubbing her eyes, trying to recover from the big blow she'd gotten in her face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Violet frowns and puts her curls away from her face with her hand. Clementine starts to laugh slightly. "I'm fine, Vi."

"Fine." Violet hisses, caresses her face and help her up.

Louis and Duck grin at each other, and the two girls look at them with a puzzled look. But then they realize that they are still holding hands and immediately pull away.

"Let's go back to playing, lovebirds! This time I take Clementine under my wing because her wife can't take care of her!" Louis said dramatically, grabbing Clementine by her hand and pulling her away.

Duck and Violet stayed there and exchanged glances, it wasn't long before everyone returned to play and Marlon's team won.

* * *

"The game was rough, huh?" Duck asked, eating his sandwich hungrily. "Playing with them is like playing with demons, that's what I tell you."

"And you're right, my head still hurts." Clementine complained, sprawled across the table again, letting the gentle breeze pass her face.

Mariana smiles at the brunette and strokes her hair. "You'll be fine, you always have a headache."

"Because she plays games like an asshole."

"Thank you, Sarah."

Sarah snorted and watched Duck drink his entire bottle of drink.

"Why do I see Sulieman and the blonde approaching us?" Sarah whispered.

"CLEMENTINE, DUCK!" Louis shouted so much that the brunette whistled in pain. "Here you are, my princesses!"

"Louis, don't yell." Violet sighed, completely ignoring the shocked glances of the others sitting at the table and stealing a seat at Clementine, sitting close to her and tilting her head, looking worried. "How's your head, Clem?"

"Terrible, I guess I'm dying."

"You're not." Violet said, unable to resist her thick, curly hair. And without further thinking, she put her hand in her hair and wrapping her curls around her fingers.

"Listen to me, everyone." Louis said, putting his hands on the table dramatically and looking at everyone at the table. "I invite you all to my party on Friday night! If you don't come, I'll be sad. You hear that Clementine?! I'll be sad, so come to my party!"

Clementine raised her head abruptly and looked at the shocked eyes of her friends. Sarah who froze and looked at Louis like he was a god, Duck who grinned and winked at her and Mariana .. She was the only one with disinterest, just a book in her hand.

.. Louis Sulieman just invited her whole party to his party. And her crush was just playing with her curls, what else could Clementine get?


	9. Ericson Kids 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .. this has 6000 words, sorry for the mistakes.

"Louis Sulieman invited us.. To his party."

Clementine rolled her eyes and lay on her bed. Her head was buried most of the time in her pillow and she really wanted Mariana to finally arrive.

"Clem, it's really true? Shall we show up at his party?” Sarah asks, her voice full of enthusiasm and nervousness, she can tell. "That's so cool!"

"Of course, Sarah." She mumbles into her pillow, refusing to raise her head and look at the mess that Sarah made on the ground. Sweets everywhere and hers workbooks with tasks.

It was Thursday and the girls were just meeting at Clementine's home. They were supposed to discuss the boys and especially the party, the whole meeting was arranged by Sarah of course.

"Someone came, Clem!"

"That's Mari." Clementine mumbles, she lazily rises herself up from the bed and rushes to the door which when she opens, she sees Mariana in front of her with a messy bun and a backpack on her shoulder. "Hey, Mari."

"Hey, Clem." Mariana says neutrally, letting herself go inside and going toward the room where she sees Sarah. She waves her in greeting and places her backpack on the floor, goes to sit next to her.

"Girls, we have to discuss what we're going to wear tomorrow at the party!" Sarah yelled, gave tasks aside and sat down in a Turkish sitting position. She looked at Mariana and then at Clementine, both girls very disinterested. "Come on, pay attention to me!"

Clementine and Mari look at each other and both girls secretly sigh. The curly girl goes to sit opposite them and leans with her back on the bed.

“What clothes will you wear? Sarah asks curiously.

"Normal clothes.” 'Mariana replies simply, with a bored expression looking at the girl next to her. Sarah frowns at that, but then she looks at the brunette.

"What about you, Clem?" Sarah asks, winks at her. 

Clementine cursed herself, running her hand through her curls. “It's just a teen party, not worth the social dress, Sarah.”

"You're right." Sarah nods her head, after a few seconds her phone vibrates. When she sees who was texting her, she dramatically places her phone back on the ground and furrows her eyebrows. "Duck doesn’t give me a break."

.. And Clementine frowns at her. "You should be happy, Duck likes you."

Sarah huffed. "I don't know, I feel like he wants someone else."

Clementine raises an eyebrow at her, knows who the girl is referring to. “Duck likes you, why else would he try to go after you all the time? Give him a chance.”

“And why don't you give him a chance? He's obviously interested in you.”

She clenches her fists, frowns at her. "Duck's like my brother, how many times should I say that?!"

Mariana watches both girls boringly.

“Don't lie to yourself, Clem. Duck likes you, and he's not afraid to show it-”

"We're friends, Sarah, nothing more!"

Sarah scoffs, crosses her arms and looks at her suspiciously. “Fine, Clem. So tell us who your crush is.”

Clementine freezes and looks away with wide-eyed eyes, inflating herself. "I don't have to tell you anything."

“You're not being honest with us! We're friends, aren't we? So tell me who you like so I know that you really don't want Duck!”

"That's enough, Sarah." Mariana joins their conversation, exchanging glances with the two girls. "Clem likes someone else and it's not Duck, you can stop."

"Oh, so Mariana knows who it is?!"

"No, I don't know who she likes."

"Listen, can you stop doing with that and.. just can we start studying or something?" Clementine sighs, rubs her face in frustration and looks Sarah in the eye. "Duck is like my brother. You don't have to worry, okay? Even if I wanted him, I wouldn't do anything."

Sarah is still frowning, but there is silence. She still keeps eye contact with Clementine who is tired of it all. After a few long seconds her smile reappears on her face. "Okay, let's start!"

.. Sarah can quickly change her moods.

All three girls sit around and write in their notebooks. Sarah continues to annoy Mariana with the party and with the boys. Clementine is lost in her thoughts, thinking of Violet.

Since PE they hadn't spoken to each other, the last interaction with her was at that table when she was playing with her curls. At the memory she smiles slightly, and sees Mariana looking at her. Fortunately, she's not like Sarah that she'll start to asking, so she just smiles at her and then comes back to listen Sarah and her bullshit again.

.. She missed Violet, a lot. She knew it wasn't good to think of her like that, but everything was harder for her when the blonde start talking to her. And she didn't like the "ignoring", she wanted to spend more time with the older girl, she wanted to talk to her.

But Violet hadn't been showing up at home for the past few days, she just hadn't seen her.

"This homework is terrible." Sarah complains, frowning into her workbook. "Mari, can you help me?"

"Of course." Mariana responds, leans to the girl and in the meantime looks at Clementine, who was completely lost. "Clem, you okay?"

“.. Yeah, I'm fine.” Clementine nodded, blinked a few times and started her homework again. She hoped to see the blonde girl soon.

When the girls are all done, Sarah puts on her shoes and runs away toward the hallway, waiting for Mariana who is still inside.

"You know what Sarah is, don't bother with her." Mariana says, putting on her sweatshirt and looking into her eyes. "She’s a little extra than us.”

"Yeah, I know." Clementine mumbles, says goodbye to Mariana and when she sees the girls out of her sight, she closes the door and goes back to her room.

The whole situation with Sarah's was getting on her nerves. If she could, she would have told them who she really liked long ago. But she just didn't believe Sarah, and it wasn't the time to get out of the closet, yet.

And suddenly she hears the phone ringing.

"Who's that again?" Clementine sighs, lazily picks up for her phone and jumps back to her bed, staring into the ceiling. ".. Hey, Duck-"

"Come to my house, Clem, I want to show you something."

* * *

And she couldn't just refuse Duck. Just as she had nothing else to do, she stood at the bus stop and saw a few people around her. She didn't know any of them, but she wished she could see the tall blonde somewhere.

The bus was approaching slowly, and she trembled as a cold breeze passed through her body. It was cold outside, and the weather wasn't very nice either.

She stepped in and found a seat at the back, she stole a seat next to the window and slowly fell into her thoughts. The journey to Duck took about twenty minutes.

.. She didn't expect anyone she knew to get on the bus. Therefore, seeing the girl approaching her, she nerviously smiled.

"Clementine! Nice to see you here." Sophie smirked, stealing a spot beside the tense brunette and turning toward her. "Where are you going?"

".. Friend." She mumbled and looked at her. She noticed her eyes were red. ".. You okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, I just have little a fight with Brody." Sophie replied, straightening her body and leaning against her seat with an insulted look. "She just doesn't know what she wants."

Clementine nodded, the older girl looked somehow broken. But she didn't want to make the situation worse, and doubted Sophie wanted to talk to her about it. That's why she left it and after a few long minutes she heard whispering come out of Sophie's mouth.

"You and Violet."

"Huh?" Clementine stammered.

“.. We all noticed how you two start talking.” She smiled softly, looking on her wrist where she was playing with her bracelet. "She said you let her stay at your house, overnight, that you took care of her."

Clementine swallowed. "Yeah, she slept at my house once."

Sophie was silent for a few seconds. She was still playing with her bracelet, not looking at her. ".. You have to be careful, Clem."

“What do you mean?”

“Violet.. “ Sophie bit her lip, her brow furrowed. “She plays with people, uses them for her needs. And I see on you that you like her. I just want to warn you that Violet.. She's a mess.”

Clementine froze, not knowing that she was showing it so much.

“Since Minerva left, she changed. My sister hurt her, a lot.” Sophie kept talking, letting the brunette devour her every word, because the other redhead was something she really wanted to know about. “.. They were wonderful together, they planned so much things. But then Minerva got an offer for a better school and left us all, although this was supposed to be her last year.”

Clementine huffed, she frowned at that certain memory. "I remember that day in school."

Sophie chuckled softly. “Yeah, believe me, everyone remember that. I want the best for my sister, but this was something she really didn't have to do. Promising Violet she wouldn't leave her and then packed up without a problem and didn't even let her know, she just left. She didn’t say goodbye to me either.”

"Really?" She looked at her with her eyebrows raised. "But .. You are her sister, something like this-”

"I know, Clem." Sophie smiled sadly, bitting her lip as the brunette could see her tears on the edge. “I love her, I really love her. But she's changed so much, I don't even know her anymore. And now she completely ignores me, she calls home after two weeks and talks to our parents, not me. I wasn't even worth for the stupid goodbye.”

Clementine frowned. Seeing the tears running down on Sophie's face, she put her hand on her shoulder, trying to reassure her. The redhead smiled brightly at her gesture and put her hand on hers.

“You're kind, Clem. You're different than the other girls and I like that on you. And I’m not the only one.” Sophie muttered, staring straight into her eyes. “.. I wouldn't like to watch her just using you, don't let her attractiveness and her green eyes fool your head. Beauty is not everything.”

"I know." Clementine nodded, gently pulling her hand away and looked around. "That's my stop."

“Okay.” Sophie said, stepping aside to let her out. “It was really nice to talk to you, Clem. We'll talk another time I hope.”

Clementine smiled at the girl as she walked off the bus. "Sure, Sophie."

.. When Clementine gets off the bus and goes in the direction of the few blocks to Duck's home, Sophie is still in her head.

Her crying eyes and her talk, her warning that was aimed at Violet. She knew what the blonde was doing, and she didn't like it, but she understood. It was her help to escape her problems and she wanted to help her. Find another way if Violet wants.

.. If Violet wants.

* * *

"Clementine, it's so nice to see you here!" Kaatja greeted the girl with a happy hug, crushing her. "You're so pretty today!"

"Thanks, Kaatja, nice to see you, too." She muttered under her breath, wrapping her arms around the woman as well.

"Mom, let Clem alone, you're killing her." Duck murmured, watching his mom with annoying look. He had something in his hand that made the brunette light up her eyes.

"That's .. Is that a puppy?!"

"Yes Clem, I have a puppy!" Duck squeaked, he put the puppy to his face. "His name is Sam!"

Kaatja smiled lovingly at them. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."

"Thanks, Kaatja." Clementine muttered, walked slowly to Duck. She immediately stroked the puppy's head. "He's so cute!”

"Right?!" Duck squeaked loudly, smiling like a fool when he saw the puppy whine. "He's so adorable!"

"Give him to me."

"No."

"Duck!" Clementine laughed, holding out her hands. "Come on, I want to cuddle with him, too!"

Duck whined and pressed the puppy to his chest, stroking his fur and his eyes were full of sparks. "I love him, Clem!"

Clementine laughed again, smiling at him and at the puppy. "Yeah, I see that, you big, goofy dork."

"Why are you grinning so much at me?" Duck asked, raising an eyebrow at her grin. The puppy licked his face.

Clementine crossed her arms and glared at him. Duck was wearing loose, gray sweatpants that were too big for him, he had a black shirt that was too big for him. Although Duck was tall and muscular than most boys of his age.

He had black wavy hair that was mostly a mess, a lot of freckles over his face and his eyes were large, brown color.

.. She knew Duck was such an older brother, a protectionist, and a very goofy guy. He looked like a rough kid, but in fact he was an adorable baby who loved animals.

"It's just adorable." Clementine nodded, looking back at the puppy. "Come on, put him in my arms!"

After getting to know Sam and his thick fur coat, they both hid in Duck's room, sitting on the floor watching his television. They played Mortal Kombat when Clementine was the one who kicked his ass.

Sam was stuck in front of them, lying and watching TV with his big, curious eyes. His ears fluttered sideways, and he lay contentedly in their presence.

"I tried, Clem. But Sarah is ... I don't know." He sighed, frowning on his television where he lost again against her. "Sarah's complicated, I don't understand girls."

At his comment she chuckled, leaning toward the puppy she stroked at his ears. He closed his eyes contentedly. "..You called her enough, you tried a lot. Now it's up to her to show up."

Duck stuck out his tongue how much he began to focus on playing. "Sarah wants a lot of attention, I know that already. But because of that I can't spend time with you or the others.”

Clementine let Duck win, and that put a smile on his face. "You'll see, Duck. We'll go to Louis's party anyway, you can spend time with Sarah there, and with us too."

"Okay." Duck nodded, tossing the controller to the ground and putting his hands on his lap, turning to her, a sincere smile playing on his face. "What about Violet?"

"What with her?"

"I want to know what's going on between you two." Duck said and after a few seconds, Sam crawled into his lap.

"We didn't talk." Clementine replied, putting her legs to her chest. "Since that day with Louis invited us to his party, I haven't seen her."

".. Is she okay?" Duck asked, his attention went to Sam who wagged his tail happily.

"I don't know, I hope she's fine." She sighed, looked out the window and noticed how dark it was. "Duck, how long have I been here?"

".. Two .. Two hours, I guess?" Duck looked thoughtful, then his eyes widened. "Fuck, I totally forgot."

"What are you talking about?"

".. I bought you something." Duck said, he stood up lazily and went into his closet. As he scrambled through his closet, Sam and Clementine were cuddling together.

"You're cute, Sam." Clementine whispered to the puppy, tilted her face to him and he licked her nose. That made her giggle. "You're not afraid of that, are you?"

"I have it!" Duck said, he took the thing and hid it behind him. Clementine turned to look at him curiously. "I was with Sarah in the mall while she was buying some crap, I was walking around. And I found something that you'll like."

Clementine stood up, holding Sam in her hands, smiling at her friend. "I don’t have birthday, Duck - Are you fucking kidding me, is that The Witcher Pendant?!"

Duck chuckled, holding a wolf-shaped pendant in his hand. "Yeah!"

"Oh my god!" Clementine squealed, dropped Sam to the floor and wrapped her arms around his waist instead of taking the necklace. "You are the best."

Duck showed his teeth through his smile, he hugged her too and put his head on hers. "I know."

They hugged for a few seconds, frightened at how violently the door was opened, and immediately broke apart when they saw Kenny in the doorway.

"Clementine, here you are! Come and hug your old friend!" Kenny yelled, opened his hands dramatically and called the girl to hug.

"Hey, Kenny." Clementine laughed and went to hug him. "Glad to see you."

Kaatja stood just behind Kenny, her arms crossed, looking at the two teenagers with a mysterious look at what Duck rolled his eyes.

Kenny choked Clementine in his embrace for a while, she was spending a few more minutes with them before it was time to go.

She stood at the door when Duck was putting the necklace around her neck, and they were both stupidly smiling at each other.

"You look good, now you can go hunting monsters like Geralt."

"I'd rather hunt zombies than killing some kikimors." She said, straightened the pendant and looked into his eyes. "Thanks, Duck, it's amazing."

"Yeah, no problem." He scratched the back of his neck. "I know how hard it has been for you lately, with your dad and all."

.. And Clementine knew she had to buy him something, too.

".. Night, Duck."

"Be careful when you go home, Clem!" Duck waved at the girl who was slowly disappearing from his sight. Then he took a deep breath and headed back home. He knew what to expect from his mom now.

While he was bombarded with questions by his mother, she took the bus back home.

Clementine has pockets in her hand as she twists slightly off the cold, sharp breeze passes her body again. She grimaced and tries to focus her home with her eyes, and then she sees her.

.. Violet, apparently drunk, wandered sideways, holding a bottle of something in her hand. And what got her the most was that she had a hand wrapped around neck of some tall girl.

Both girls were drunk and went to Violet's home. Clementine stood, her eyes wide.

And when she realizes what the girls will probably do..

.. She huffed.

* * *

Clementine adjusts the pendant she received from Duck and is on her way to Louis's house with the others.

Mariana walks beside her, and Gabe, on the other side. He smiles at her when he sees her looking at him. Sarah and Duck walk in front of them, holding hands. She smiles at that.

"I'm so excited!" Sarah speaks, catching everyone's attention. “We're going to the senior party, our first party. And even with seniors!”

"We know, Sarah." Everyone says at once.

"Am I dressed well?!" Sarah speaks again, showing her skirt dramatically when Duck frowns slightly, but then a false smile appears on his face. Clementine knew he didn't like her clothes. It's too revealing.

"You look good, Sarah." Gabe nodded.

"Yeah, the skirt is pretty." Duck said, sighing secretly and putting his hands in his pockets.

Sarah smiles brightly at him, wrapping her arms around his. Clem and Mari look at each other and roll their eyes with a smile.

".. Fucking finally.”

"What did you say, Mari?"

"Nothing, Sarah." Mariana mutters under her breath, she looks at Clementine. "Do I really have to go there too?"

"It won't be so bad." Clementine says, trying to calm her friend.

“It's party that seniors invited us to! You can’t miss that, sister!”

"Nobody invited you anywhere, you invited yourself."

"You're evil!" Gabe complained and frowned, but then he looked into the distance when his eyes shone. "Girls!"

"Oh my god." Mariana whispered, the girls passed them and she grimaced when she saw her brother where he was looking. "You're terrible!"

"What? They are girls, I have a right to look!”

".. You were looking at their boobs."

"Yeah, so what?!" Gabe huffed, letting others just listen to their conversation.

“.. It's disgusting.”

Clementine and Duck laughed loudly, Sarah was busy watching the huge home with her mouth open.

"Here.. Is Sulieman living here?" She wondered, blinking her eyes several times to see how big his house was.

"Yeah, he's rich." Duck answers, looks at his house and then around. They see a lot of people leaving or coming.

Clementine took a deep breath and swallowed her discomfort. She knew Violet would probably be there too.

It was their first party, and neither of them ever got drunk. Entering among seniors suddenly did not come as a good idea.

But Sarah .. She thought differently.

"Sarah, wait!" Duck called for her, but it was too late. The girl ran right in, leaving the others behind. "That's .. Great, now I have to go find her."

"She's really excited, huh?" Gabe chuckled, forcing Duck to frown.

"We have to find her. Who knows what people are there."

"Fucking junkies, probably."

The three eyes widened and they immediately looked at Clementine, who rolled her eyes at them and decided to go in without them. She let them frown at Gabe, who just shrugged.

"I'm an idiot, I know, sorry." Gabe murmured, he and the two of them went inside too.

"Clem, do you see Sarah somewhere?" Duck asks, looking around, trying to find the girl who ran away.

"I don't see her." Clementine replies, she is looking too, but she is looking for someone else. "Probably somewhere where is alcohol Duck."

"I'll try to look, then.”

Clementine nodded at him, staring as the boy disappeared into the crowd. She turned behind her and saw Mariana beside her with Gabe. When he saw a bunch of girls, he wasn't afraid to go to them. Both girls began to laugh at him.

"What do you think of that?" Clementine asked, looking curiously at the beanie boy who was talking to them, the girls glaring at him and looking at each other mysteriously.

“.. Gabe and his puberty is worse than mine." Mariana muttered and grimaced, she looked away from her brother. ".. Should we go on?"

"Yeah, let's go." Clementine nods, she and Mariana walk a little further and walk past those drunken people. Lots of girls and boys crawling on each other and their hands sliding down where they shouldn't.

“There are a lot of people from other schools, too. I think I see some old man in the corner.” Mariana grimaced, she went closer to Clementine. "It was a stupid idea to come here.”

Clementine finds Mariana's hand and grabs her, she squeezes her to calm her and Mariana smiles at her. She knows the girl has anxiety.

"If you want, Mari, we can go-"

"No, no, I'm fine." Mariana sighed, squeezed her back. "Come on, there's the kitchen."

And so the girls go deeper where they see the others. Specifically, they see Sophie who is pressed against the kitchen counter and her arms wrapped around Brody's neck, Brody is pressed against her and her arms wrapped around her waist, the girls were kissing. Let’s say.. Too passionately.

Clementine feels embarrassed about staring at them for so long and so she looks away. Mariana hides her face with her hands. But then she sees Mitch, who is surrounded by girls and she stares at him for a few long seconds that he looks at her and winks.

“What the hell-”

“CLEMENTINE, MY LOVE!” She frightens when the familiar voice screams near her ear. She feels his hands on her shoulders from behind, she knows who it was. "Here you are, I thought you weren't going to show up!"

Clementine turns around and smiles at the dreaded boy who had a big grin on his face. Right behind him is Marlon who smiles at them.

“Hey, Louis, Marlon.” Clementine mumbles and looks at Mariana, who is shyly waving at them. Louis winks at Mariana and then looks into Clementine's eyes. The girl smiles awkwardly and doesn't know what to do, and suddenly Louis hugs her and pressed her close as possible, surprising her.

.. Mariana rolls her eyes, and Marlon chuckles at her gesture.

This hug takes a long time that it makes Clementine feel slightly uncomfortable. Marlon sighs and pulls his slightly drunk friend away from her. "Louis, let her be, she barely came and you already crawl over her."

While Louis is stupidly smiling at the curly girl and Marlon is trying to keep him away from her, Mariana looks around and sees Sarah holding a bottle of some alcohol in her hand. Her eyes widen.

"Clem, there's Sarah, that idiot has a full bottle of liquid in her hand!" Mariana yelled, running toward the girl who was about to drink that.

"Oh my god." Clementine sighs as she looks over her shoulder.

"Your friends are quite funny." Marlon speaks, holding his friend that seems to fall to the floor at any moment.

“They are." Clementine mutters, turns back to see Louis's condition. ".. Will he be okay?"

"I'm fine my beautiful, wonderful, beloved princess!"

Marlon shakes his head with a laugh. “Louis is always like that. When he gets drunk, he likes to bother everyone, sorry for that. He'll be fine.”

"Give me a kiss, Clementine, I want a kiss!"

Clementine giggled. "Such a baby-”

There's a big blow that scares them all, Louis just.. still smiles stupidly at Clementine.

“Fuck - Louis, don't go crazy, okay? I'll see you later, Clem.” Marlon says, and immediately lets go of the boy and runs to where the blow came from. Louis wraps his hands around her again.

"Louis, where's Violet?" Clementine asks, hugging Louis around his shoulders while he is around her waist, his head resting on her shoulder, he mutters something. “What did you say, Louis?”

“.. That wasted lesbian with someone, making out, couch, don't know.”

Clementine swallowed, her eyes sweeping around. She found a lot of girls with blond hair, but no one was like Violet. Only a few seconds later when Louis drooled on her shoulder she saw her. And she was really on the couch, with some girl.

.. Even from a distance, she sees how drunk she is. She noticed Violet's hand resting on that girl's thigh, they flirted together. And then after a few seconds again, she saw her hand crawling over her inner thigh. Violet then leans over to the girl and begins to kiss her. They were crawling on each other, Violet's hand on the girl's neck-

“Fuck.” Clementine mumbles under her breath, hugs Louis more tightly so that she can give away that nasty feeling formed in her belly, her jealousy.

"Did you find her?"

“.. Yeah.” She sighed, pulling gently away from Louis so that she wasn't facing the way she'd seen the girls.

Louis looks in her direction and then back. He knows what Violet was doing and when he saw Clementine's face, he sighed and sobered a little. He grabbed the girl's hand and pulled away. "Come on, let's have a drink."

They both end up in the kitchen, where Sophie and Brody stopped kissing and were drinking something instead. There was Duck with Sarah and Mariana with his brother, who had lipstick all over his face. Mariana looked annoyed by that.

"Give my friends something to drink!" Louis shouts, waving his hands dramatically in the air, and sees Brody taking the whole bottle of vodka. Sophie puts a cup in their hands, and her girlfriend is pouring the liquid there.

"Go slowly, it's strong." Brody announces.

Clementine looks at Duck, who looks back at her in shock. Then they just nod and everyone smelled, grimaced and sipped that drink from Brody.

"Shit, that's disgusting!" Mariana yells, she immediately put it away and making everyone laugh.

Her brother Gabe froze and grimaced again, Duck shook his head, and Clementine was the only one with Sarah who drank it all. Everyone in the room just laughed at their expressions.

"You guys .. You're so fucking funny." Louis began to laugh so much that he grabbed his stomach and fell to the ground. "Fuck, I can't!"

Aasim rolls his eyes at his friend and then looks at them. "You are all right?"

Clementine sighs deeply and reaches out to Brody with her cup. "Next, please."

\---

At least an hour passed, and Clementine was surrounded by her friends and seniors, talking to Louis and Sophie all along. Brody sometimes spoke a few words, too. After the second cup, she decided to stop drinking because it was honestly really disgusting. Instead, she tried to forget what she had seen on the couch.

.. She sees how much Sarah is drunk, Duck is with her. Gabe is talking to Mitch and Marlon on the other side and Mariana? She stood at the kitchen counter with Aasim with whom she talked eagerly about something. Looks like the anxious girl was having fun too.

She felt bad that Violet hadn't come to see her. She was mainly the reason she came. But she didn't come, pay no attention to her, ignore her and instead she was with someone else. Clementine wished Violet was sitting on that empty chair next to her. Louis sat there but he disappeared somewhere.

Clementine is lost in her thoughts, not even noticing that he disappeared. Sophie gently nudges her shoulder to catch her attention.

"Clem, babe!" Sophie mumbled, she puts her hand on her shoulder. She’s clearly drunk, her pupils were dilated. "Having fun?!"

“Yeah, Soph.” Clementine lied, smiling at the redhead beside her. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm havin fun, sweetheart!" Sophie yelled, slamming her fist violently on the table, showing her teeth through her smile. "You're really pretty, you know.”

Clementine froze, blushing at her compliment.

“T-Thanks, Sophie.” She swallowed, refusing to look at the redhead next to Sophie. She knew Brody was looking at her, and then she heard Sophie giggle.

“You're so jealous, Ro! Stop, I'm just telling her she's pretty!” Sophie muttered, stroking her girlfriend's hair and because of how much Brody was jealous, she paid all of her attention to her now. Clementine stayed there, just sitting.

Duck noticed and wanted to go after her, but then he saw Louis come back from behind, hands on her shoulders. "Clementine, my love, I have an important task for you.”

“Hey, Louis.” Clementine says softly, turns to him. "What task?"

"Come with me, princess." He says back, gently grabs her hand and pulls her away from the kitchen. They walk through the door outside where she sees someone, whom she wanted to see all along.

“.. Hey.” Violet speaks, her voice more hoarse than normal.

What Clementine notices right away is how she looks like. Crumpled clothes, her hair is a big mess and ther hair go in all directions. Lipstick is smeared over her lips, her neck is full of hickeys.

.. Clementine sighed and swallows all her jealousy.

".. I need you, Clementine, to help me put this mess in the car and take her home. I know I ask a lot from you, but you two live like right next to each other.” Louis spoke, putting his hands on Clementine's shoulders from behind and looking at his drunk friend, who could barely stand on her feet. "Violet, babe, love, you can't drink so much!"

“.. Sorry, babe.” Violet replies back, nearly falling if a tall man in black doesn't catch her. "Hey, let me go you pervert I'm like a lesbian you know."

".. I'll put Miss Aldon in the car." The man in black speaks, Louis nods at him and Clementine doesn't understand. Louis squeezes her shoulders and leans to her ear. They both watch the man take Violet into the car.

"That's Charles, my butler." Louis whispers in her ear. "He'll take us home!"

".. You have your own butler?!" Clementine widens her eyes, sees Violet from the car opening the window and waving at them stupidly. "Louis, that's .. wow?"

"I know!" Louis whistles, he runs toward the car and opens the door. He turns to her and waving at her. "Come on, love, let's go!”

.. Clementine swallowed and walked to the car, she opened the door and saw Violet shifting to make room for her. So she sits next to her, and the blonde around her puts her hand, more precisely around her shoulders. And she stuck to her.

“Violet.” Clementine bites her lip, pulling her head away from her when she sees she was too close. "Are you okay?"

"No." Violet whispers, lazily lays her head on her shoulder and puts her arms around her waist. "I'm not."

Clementine sighs, she can just looks into the blonde's eyes and she can see what she's thinking about. She puts her cheek on her hair. Louis and Charlie talk to each other the whole time. Both girls had been silent, Violet's eyes were closed and she just relaxed, resting on her side.

But then Clementine remembered that she had left her friends at the party. "Fuck, Louis, the others don't know-."

“It's cool Clem, Charles will safely take them all home. Right, Charles?” Louis said, he looked at the man who was driving the car.

"Of course, Louis." Charles nodded, concentrating on the road.

Clementine sighed with relief and looked at the mess that lay in her lap now. Her blond hair that fell in her face, covering her porcelain and hurt face. She gently pulled her hair away from her face, stroking her cheek softly, watching Violet's nose wrinkle at the little touch. That made her smile and show the sparks in her eyes.

"So adorable." Clementine murmured under her breath, whispering.

Louis smiled, looking at her the whole time through the rearview mirror.

\---

"Okay, Vi, time to get up my blonde lesbian!" Louis yells into her ear, forcing her to frown.

"You're an asshole, Jamal." Violet mutters, lazily wrapping her arm around Clementine neck, who holds her by her waist.

Louis giggles at his new nickname. He looks at Charles at which he nods and then looks at Clementine. "Just throw her into bed, Clem, Violet fall asleep right away. If not, then let her watch some lesbian porn, she calms down eventually.”

"Oh my god." Clementine murmurs, grabs her tightly around her waist and slowly walks toward the front door. “Night, Louis.”

"Good night, lovebirds!" Louis is shouting and waving at them like a madman. Seeing both girls inside, he returns to the car. "All right, Charles, we're going for my funny kids now."

Inside, Violet leans against the wall next to her apartment door, she’s trying to find the keys in her pockets. But she is unable to find them, just as she is unable to stay on her feet or communicate normally.

Clementine sighs and walks closer to her, bit her lip and looks into her eyes. "Can I?"

"What?" Violet asks silently.

“.. Can I touch your pockets? Find keys?”

Violet smiles bluntly and puts her hands to the side, giving her a chance to reach for her pockets. "Go on, cowboy."

Clementine rolls her eyes and reaches uncertainly into her jacket. She had nothing in one pocket, and in the other she found some gummy bears that made her grin. Then she moved even more uncertainly to her jeans.

"I like it, keep going."

“Violet, stop!” Clementine shakes his head in frustration, she’s not having any keys in either pocket. “Do you even have the keys?”

".. You haven't reached into my back pockets, babe."

The curly-haired girl blushed, blushed deeply.

"... I won't touch you there."

“.. So should I sleep here? On that cold ground, because you're ashamed to touch my ass?”

“I am not!”

"Then touch me, cowboy!"

Violet was unaware of what she was doing to the girl.

Clementine bit her lip, if it hadn't been for Violet to take both her hands and carry them to her back pockets, she would probably not have been able to do it herself. She slowly slid her fingers into both of her back pockets, Violet forced her to come all down when she could feel her ass, and she swallowed. She quickly picked up the keys she found in her right pocket and pulled her hands away quickly.

".. I have them." Clementine mumbled.

"Handy." Violet smirked, crossed her arms and watched stupidly as she opened the door nervously.

Clementine's hands were shaking, and with that she gave the keys back to Violet, who, instead of taking the keys, took her hand and pulled her inside.

"Violet, why?!" She whispered, she didn't want to wake anybody though the whole apartment was ghostly quiet. Violet didn't answer her and instead opened the door to her room.

She left Clementine standing at the door, with the keys in her hand. She went to sit on the edge of the bed where she patted the place beside her.

".. Come here."

.. And she swallowed, blushed completely and froze in place. She saw Violet's face. She could see her green eyes darken and how she was looking at her. With lust, with desire. This made Clementine's heart pound at a tremendous speed, she was feeling her heart in her throat.

.. Right now she had a chance to lose her virginity with Violet fucking Adlon-

"No." Clementine said bluntly, quickly escaping from the room, tossing the keys ground and ran to her home.

When she was home, she leaned against the door and inhaled with her eyes closed. “Oh my fucking god.”


	10. Ericson Kids 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for mistakes.

"Clementine, honey, get up."

The curly girl grimaced as she felt the sunshine on her face. "Mom, what are you doing?"

"AJ will come any minute." Diana says, she opens the curtains and opens a window for fresh air. "And I need to talk to you, too."

Clementine sighs and rubs her eyes, it takes her a few seconds to be fully awake and then, she lazily sit on her bed. "What about, mom?"

Diana goes with a neutral expression to sit on the edge of her bed, she lightly taps her daughter on her knee and when she sees her frowning, she chuckles at her. "What did you do yesterday that you looked so dead?"

Clementine whimperes when she gets a terrible headache. "I - I don't know."

"Tell me, did you have any fun?" Diana asks, she puts her hand on Clementine's forehead automatically. "You look terrible. I should probably cancel that weekend with AJ-"

"No! mom, what, why?" Clementine mutters, she shakes her head in frustration and quickly rises up from the bed. "No, I want AJ here, I'm absolutely fine, see?"

Diana face-palmed when she sees how terribly her daughter looks. Her curly thick hair that was extremely disheveled, those visible for half a month under her eyes and that she didn't even change into her pajamas worried her even more.

"Okay, but go wash your face." Diana says, getting up from bed and going to the door. But before she disappears, she turns to her. "Clem, did you take anything?"

"No." Her answer was quick, her voice tone changed. "I'm fine."

Diana looked at her face for a few seconds, but when she saw how serious her daughter was, she smiled. "Well, I'm glad, really glad."

"I know." Clementine nodded slightly, trying not to lose herself in her thoughts. "I'll go take a shower."

"That's a good idea, you stink."

"Thanks, mom."

Clementine lazily takes her belongings and locks herself in the bathroom. She goes to the mirror where she almost gets a heart attack, she really looked horrible.

.. But when she remembers what happened last night, she feels enthusiastic and a little scared.

"Fuck, Violet." Clementine mutters under her breath, her hands resting on the sink and looking at the tap water running. She then looks at her fingers and bites her lip when she remembers where those fingers were yesterday, blushing. "Oh my god."

"Clementine, are you okay there?"

"Yes, mom!"

With a warm feeling on her heart, she walks into the shower where she lets the icy water flow. She hisses and grimaces when she feels the icy water flowing on her hair, and then she closes her eyes. All the while she's in the shower, she's only thinking about the moments she experienced with Violet yesterday.

That she had a chance to sleep with her seriously shocked her. But Clementine didn't want it, not like that. Plus, Violet was drunk. She certainly didn't know what she was doing or saying, and she wouldn't remember anything anyway the next day, probably.

.. And she planned to help the girl, not just sleep with her. And she knew that she wouldn't satisfy Violet anyway, she had no experience in that stuff.

But as for Violet, the blonde was literally dying.

"Oh my - Fuck!" She whimpered and closed her eyes as she felt the painful headache. She hid her face and bit her inner cheek.

"Violet, get up from that bed and come eat!" She hears her mother's voice, which just kills her even more.

"Shut up." Violet mutters under her breath, still lying in bed with her head buried in her pillow now, she was trying to ignore the pain. But the more she lay in bed, the more pain she felt. "Fuck!"

She heard her door open abruptly and she rolled her eyes, even with her eyes closed. "I don't want to fucking eat, mom."

"I made you food, so come and eat it, you hardly eat at all." Violet heard footsteps approaching her bed. "Violet, please-"

"Okay, I'll eat!" Violet mutters in her pillow, hiding her face. "Just - give me a minute, okay?!"

"..Okay." She heard her mom mumbling and then she closes the door and disappears. She leaves Violet alone, with her thoughts.

.. It takes her much longer to wake up and be able to sit down at the table, where her mother made a hot meal after a long time.

"That fucker finally left?" Violet speaks, she lazily grabs the fork and starts eating. She was just taking a shower as the water dropped from her freshly washed, blond hair.

"Violet." Her mother sighed, she sits near her and stares as her adult daughter eats.

"You make food, warm and good food." Violet mutters with her mouth full, raising her head from the plate to look at her. "Are we celebrating something?"

Her mother looks at her neutrally, but there are many things and pain in her eyes. ".. I just wanted to cook something for you."

Violet swallows and feels a loving feeling on her chest. ".. Thanks, mom, it's.. really good."

.. When she saw her mother smile so sincerely, she couldn't hold it and a small smile appeared on her face too. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Your dad went somewhere, hasn't returned yet."

"He's not been home since yesterday." Violet announces, she takes a huge bite in her mouth. "Maybe he won't come back."

Her mother is still neutral. "Maybe not, I don't know."

"Mom."

She looked up from her lap, looking at her daughter curiously.

"You have eat too, take it."

"No, Violet, it's for you."

"I can buy something and I'm already full." Violet muttered, handing her plate of food to her. "Just eat it."

Her mother sighed and nodded, she saw Violet getting out of the chair and going toward the hallway. "Where are you going?"

"I need to call Louis."

* * *

"Louis, how can you have so much energy?" Violet sighs, pulling his arm off her shoulders as she looks forward. "Tell me what happened yesterday, dumbass."

"Well, barbecue I was drunk myself. But not as much as you." Louis winked at her, put his hand around her shoulders again. "I remember just something, but you did what you usually did, you probably licked some girls and you didn't care that you could get HIV."

"Louis."

"Then, of course, I must not forget about that Clementine, who was also our salvation, came. She was able, even with her short figure, to bring you home back in one piece, lady."

"What?" Violet raised an eyebrow at him and looked into his face where she saw a small grin. "She was there, too?"

Louis sighed dramatically, removing his hand from her. They both went towards the park where they decided to go. ".. You paid no attention to her, nor do you remember she was there. How mean of you, Violet."

".. Louis, I don't remember anything from yesterday."

"Well, you were drunk, a lot." Louis sighed, waving to a few people he knew. "Everyone was drunk, honestly. We were idiots, but thank God everyone got home safely."

".. Okay, but Clementine was there, too?"

"Yeah, dumbass, Clementine was there too!" Louis stopped, put his hands on his hips. "She came with her friends, what do you care anyway, Vi?"

Violet crossed her arms and frowned. She didn't even know why.

"CLEMENTINE MY LADYBUG YOU ARE HERE, TOO?!!"

".. Who's that clown, Clem?"

"AJ!" Violet heard her voice and turned sharply to her, she was seeing the curly girl at one table where AJ was across her.

"Hey Louis - Oh my god-"

"Clem, kill it!"

"I- I can't?!!"

Violet rolled her eyes as she saw the spider crawling on her arm. She went to her and gently took the spider and tossed him away.

Louis, he almost threw the short girl to the ground as he hugged her hard. "Clementine, thank you very much for yesterday!"

.. Clementine wasn't speaking.

"Louis, let her go." Violet said, alerting him when she saw how pale Clementine was.

"Sorry, butterfly, are you okay?!" Louis asked, concern over him took control. They both stared at her worriedly while AJ, sitting across them, looking at them with his eyebrow raised.

"I feel something crawling on me - Fuck-"

"Where?"

"I - I think somewhere on my arm, under my shirt, dwah!"

Violet leaned toward the girl with a calm expression and gently put her hand under her T-shirt, where she pulled-

".. Another spider?" AJ speaks, shaking his head with a sigh.

"No, little man, that's actually a .. a ladybug?!"

Violet sighs, the ladybug climbs around her fingers.

"I - I thought - I don't know!" Clementine huffed, crossed her arms and frowned at AJ. "It's your fault!"

"My fault?" AJ looked shocked. "It's not my fault that you felt to the ground!"

Clementine was even more frustrated while Violet smiled at her delight and Louis.. He just watched the ladybug curiously.

"You three - You're all idiots."

"AJ!"

Louis chuckled at his remarks and literally climbed across the wooden table to AJ, when he laid his elbow on the table and looked curiously at what he was drawing. "That looks great, little man."

While the two boys were busy exploring and figuring out what they could draw, Clementine sighed loudly every second and just looked around her. Just not at Violet, who was staring at her, curiously.

"You okay?" The blonde asks, frightens her a little, and sees Clementine look at her sharply. For only two seconds, the younger girl looks into her eyes and then looks down at the table where she plays nervously with her fingers.

.. Violet bites her lip, seeing that the younger girl is anxious about something.

"I just .. Nothing, I just - Well, nothing, I just have this massive headache." Clementine mutters, hiding her face in frustration with her hands, ignoring the way Violet looks at her.

"You drank?" Violet asks, she tilts her head gently and stares at the curly girl. She sees those half a month under her eyes, and thanks to the sun she sees her golden eyes shining. Clementine was a different kind of beauty.

.. She had fairly long, thick curly hair. Her curls were mostly chaotic, most of the time she had them all over her face and sometimes even in her mouth. She had a very cute nose and big eyes that Violet loved to look at. She had the feeling that she would easily get lost in her eyes. And it bothered her when Clementine quickly tore off the eye contact.

And while most of the girls Violet had ever gone out with.. She was different. Instead of short skirts and tight shirts - With millions of bracelets or a rings and various other things, Clementine was really simple. She wore loose and sometimes too big clothes. She had always seen her in different sweaters, in various sweatshirts, and with shirts of different games or bands. Mostly she wore black clothes, always dark. She was just a geek.

.. And when she saw the necklace with the wolf pendant, her eyes widened.

"Where did you get this?" Violet asks, she touches her pendant, Clementine tensed at that little contact. "Isn't that from the game?"

Clementine nodded, smiling a little. "Yeah, it's from The Witcher - Oh my fuck, I totally forgot!"

"What?" Violet asks, amused. She sees her pupils grow larger and she's intrigued by her eyes.

"What's up, puppy?!"

".. Clem is not a puppy." AJ growls and looks offended at Louis, who just ruffles his hair.

"I have to buy Duck something! AJ, we have to go, now!" Clementine hysterizes, she rises sharply from the table and her head shatters. If it hadn't been for Violet, who had risen up too and gently grabbing her wrist, she would have fallen again. ".. Damn." She mutters, rubs her temple and closes her eyes.

"Clementine, sweetheart, what's wrong with you?" Louis asks, he gets up and puts his hands on his hips. "Did you drink so much yesterday?"

"No, no, I just ... I don't know." She sighed, running her hands lazily over her face again, her eyes furrowing because the sun that shone right into her face. "It's just too much for me, too much fucking sunshine and I'm hot."

"Oh, indeed you are, princess!" Louis proudly said, crawling dramatically to the girls. AJ is still in the background, putting his stuff back in his backpack.

"Take off your sweatshirt, then." Violet speaks, she pulls her hand away and stares at her. "It's not good to wear black things in this heat."

Louis open his mouth and stares curiously at Violet, who is busy watching Clementine's hair. "My love is right, wrap your sweatshirt around your waist and then we go to that store you want to go!"

AJ crawls towards them and clutches Clementine's hand. Violet stares at how quickly she intertwined their hands and then she swallows, looking away.

"What do you want to buy, Clem?" AJ asks, he looks into the distance where he sees cars passing. Louis and Violet follow them, they are behind them. "You buy me something, too?"

Clementine smiles and looks at him, her sweatshirt slips off her shoulder, revealing her black sports bra-

"Oh, she doesn't have a shirt under it." Louis whispers, staring in amusement at Violet who is watching the girl's exposed shoulder - too intently. "Vi, watch your saliva."

".. Shut up." She quickly mumbled, looking away again.

"Uh, do you really want to come with us? I mean - I don't mind, I just - Didn't you two have anything planned?" Clementine mutters, looking mainly at Louis, who smiles brightly at her.

"Nah, my buddy Violetacos and I don't plan anything anyway." Louis replies, tapping Violet's shoulder who is still looking away. "Fresh air is good for us!"

"Violetacos?" AJ mutters, raising an eyebrow at the dreaded boy who smirks at him. "Clem, you dating this joker?"

"AJ!"

"Hah, how I'd like to date your sister-" Louis laughs dramatically, waving his hand in the air, ignoring how Violet's eyes widened and how they caught her attention. "But she's not interested!"

.. And the blonde huffed, shoving her hands in her pockets.

-

".. Are we gonna watch Stranger Things?"

".. Of course, Alvie, when we go home-"

"Uhuh! Will you mind if we join you?!" Louis yells, surprises the curly girl by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Oh my God, we can have such a great night! I buy us popcorn and ice cream, and some cookies and chocolates, AJ, do you like-"

"Louis." Violet sighs, she grabs the tall boy's wrist and pulls him away from them so they can talk. "You're exaggerating, stop."

Louis merely chuckles, he grabs her hand and entwines their hands. Despite her resistance. "I'm extravagant, babe. And we can— "

"Oh my - Look at that, Alvie, fuck!" The two of them turn around when they hear Clementine shout, she was looking wide-eyed at a shirt in a nearby store. "That's ... I need to have it!"

AJ rolled his eyes and sighs, he squeezes her hand when he sees that she was pulling him that way. Louis and Violet looked at each other and both chuckled.

"She's adorable."

".. Yeah, she is."

Clementine puts both hands on the clean glass and cries with a big goofy smile, she was looking at the shirt. Louis is next to her and looks closer, in her direction.

"That shirt, you want that?" Louis asks and she whimperes. Violet snorts at her behavior.

"I have to buy this shirt - even if I had to cut off my leg." Clementine mutters, everyone can hear the grumbling AJ leaning against a nearby wall where Violet stands by. "That's Motionless In White, one of my favorite bands!"

"You have a lot of T-shirts of your favorite bands, Clem." AJ speaks, looks at her and furrows his eyebrows. "But you wanted to buy something to your friend, right?"

Clementine bit her lip, unwillingly pulling away from the glass. "Right, gotta take something for Duck."

AJ followed her and took her hand again, they went to the next store while Louis slipped into the store, Violet rolled her eyes and decided to wait for him outside. She leaned against the wall where AJ had been before and looked at them as they entered the gaming store.

.. She hears her phone tingling and she pulls it out, that tiny smile disappears from her face.

_E: hey Vi, I just have time right now. you want to come?_

If it wasn't for Louis's company, accompanied by Clementine and AJ, she would probably go. But she didn't mind what she was doing now, so she decided to put her phone back in her pocket and be disturbed by the whistling sound.

"Come on." Louis whispered, grabbed her wrist and dragged her away.

"What were you doing in that store, Lou?" She asks, examining the bag he is holding. But he just smiles at her, mysteriously.

.. And she knew what Louis could be and she knew the dreaded boy was up to something. And she really liked to act like an ordinary teenager again.

"What about this, Clem?" AJ says, points to a game where Clementine gets disgusted.

"Really, AJ?" She growls, picks up the game. "Fortnite, should I buy this to Duck?"

"Everyone likes fortnite, right?"

".. Not anymore, Alvie."

"Clementine, little guy, here you are!" Louis yelled through the store, smiling and went closer with the bags in his hands, Violet was right next to him, holding something too, avoiding eye contact. "I bought all good snacks for our night!"

Clementine chuckles. "You really want to watch Stranger Things with us?"

AJ rolls his eyes and turns his back on them, with his hands crossed looking at the games.

Violet takes a deep breath and approaches AJ, looking at the games with him. Louis and Clementine are busy talking about the TV show Louis never even saw.

"What games do you like, buddy?" Violet asks, trying to make a conversation with him.

"I like zombies." Aj says, he takes two games in his hand and turns to her. Violet looks at him with a slightly surprised expression. "Clem likes both, but she likes Mass Effect.. little more then Dragon Age. What do you like?"

Violet smiles nervously. "I don't know, I don't play games much."

".. Yeah, well, Clem plays it mainly because of the romances. And it's boring to watch, she always wants to date the same girl." AJ mumbles, puts the games back and leaves Violet slightly shocked as he goes a bit further.

Violet hears Clementine's breathtaking laughter behind her, forcing her to turn around.

"What?! I like - What's his name, well, that kid?" Louis pretends to know everything, and Violet rolls her eyes.

"You never saw it, did you?" Clementine asks, crosses her arms and smiles at him.

.. Violet frowns.

"Clem, come here!" AJ yells and waving at her, the three of them turn to him and only Clementine follows him. She went closer to Violet, when she sees Clementine's body tensing and her eyes widening with a nervous smile, as she walks past her.

Violet huffed, hearing the steps approaching her. "Louis."

"Yes, love?"

"What are you doing?" Violet asks, turns to look at him. "You planned this? Did you know she would be in that park?"

"No, and no, Violet. I just think you should relax and enjoy this more." Louis speaks, puts his hands on her shoulders, and looks into her eyes. "I think it's nice to spend time with people who really care for you, right?"

".. Louis."

"I mean it. Clem's fine, and the little boy too. Or do you want to spend time in my boring basement where we would both be locked because the others are busy destroying their lives?" Louis speaks more seriously. "Just relax, Vi, it's okay!"

Violet sighs. "Fine, but don't you think they mind?"

".. Vi, Vi, My sweet Vi - You don't see it, but I see it." Louis whispers, he leans over and puts both hands on her cheeks, turning her toward Clementine, who is talking to the counterman. "Clem is happy that you are here, she always searching for you with her eyes and longing for your attention. You should go to her and talk to her, it will help you find new friend - Or a girlfriend. " Louis whispers the last word, and immediately goes back to the short girl.

Violet sighs, and just as she looks at the girl again, she sees him looking at her and immediately tears her gaze away from her. And she realizes Louis is right.

.. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to just relax a little.

-

.. All four of them spent the whole day together. Louis pulled them everywhere and forced them to do everything they could find in the shopping center. The only person who enjoyed all the food and stuff was AJ.

Clementine was dead and sick, Violet was annoyed but she was smilling. And that was enough for Louis to make him happy. Because seeing Violet normally communicate and smilling with someone who's not from their group is a miracle and something that he was glad for.

Because the blonde had been depressed for a long time, and she deserved far more than what the redhead gave her. And he knew Clementine had some kind power that made Violet tear down her wall and actually open up.

.. And he wanted to do anything just to see the blonde girl happy and loved by someone, who really cares about her.

"How's your head?" Violet asks, they're just on their way to their home when Louis is in the background, enthusiastically talking to AJ. Violet and she are in the front, close to each other.

The curly girl sighs and pulls her zip on the sweatshirt up, because of the cold breeze. "It's fine now, but.. the drinking really didn't - help me."

"You drank a lot, yesterday?"

"I, yeah.. At home, late at night." Clementine mutters, looking embarrassed at the ground. "I shouldn't drink so much."

Violet puts her hands in her pockets and looks forward, finally seeing their place in the distance. "Why?"

"What, why?"

"Why did you drink so much?" Violet asks, in the background she hears Louis laughing loudly.

"I, well—" Clementine bit her tongue, closed her eyes for a few seconds, remembering the situation with Violet. "It's nothing! I just, for fun, guess - "

And she chuckled, seeing the frustration on her face. "Clem, you're so obvious."

Clementine takes a deep breath and bites her lip, she walks through the door toward her apartment, opening it and letting them slip in. "If you're hungry-"

"I'll take care of it, princess! Just show me the kitchen and turn on the Netflix!" Louis yelled and ran down the hallway. He found the kitchen himself after a few seconds.

"I'm going to help Louis." AJ mumbled, lazily took off his shoes and ran to the kitchen, where the sounds of the bags were. Clementine and Violet stood in the hallway, where they both took off their shoes, too.

"I'm sorry about Louis. He can be very cheeky, noisy and all this." Violet sighed, taking off her jacket.

"It's okay." Clementine replied. "I don't mind having company here."

Violet nodded, along with her she went to the kitchen, which was connected to the living room. In the background, there was a television on where AJ chose what he wanted to watch. Louis rages in the kitchen, where popcorn can be heard popping.

"Let's make a girly night, ladies!" He yells dramatically, sweeping his hands in the air.

"He's always like that, isn't he?" Clementine chuckled, standing next to Violet, who rolls her eyes at him.

"He can be worse." Violet mutters, sitting down at the table where all things were pulled out. She steals a chocolate bar and glared at Clementine, who has her shoulder exposed again. The sweatshirt slipped again, and she stares again.

"Watch your saliva, Vi!"

"Shut up." Violet mutters with a full mouth of that chocolate bar.

Clementine smiles and looks in AJ's backpack. "Duck will be happy, he hasn't played these games yet."

Violet swallows and looks at the necklace on her neck, because of that, she feel something she is trying to suppress inside her chest. "That necklace, he gave it you?"

"Yeah, it's a gift." She mutters, she tilts her head slightly and puts her hair on the other side, revealing her neck and the sweatshirt slips even more. "Duck has been my friend since childhood."

Violet swallows, again. "I get it, this idiot has been my friend since childhood, too."

"But you love me, babe!"

"I know." Ignoring Louis's voice, Clementine nods, giving the blonde a sincere look. "You two are inseparable duo."

"Violet is the love of my life, just like this!" Louis shouts, going dramatically to the table showing a bottle of small vodka in his hand. "You want some, lovebirds?"

Clementine shakes her head with a laugh, she looks at Louis like he is a normal person and Violet is delighted by that. Louis is an important person to her, the most important - And she remembers how Minerva treated him, bad.

.. Like everyone else, but Louis is a sweetheart who doesn't deserve bad things. Therefore, when somebody scolds him, Violet is always the one who wants to kill them.

"What do you think of my popcorn, Clementine?"

"It's amazing, Louis." She nods, popping popcorn in her mouth, her eyes glowing. Violet can't stand it and smiles too, seeing Louis smile so enthusiastically, and seeing someone treating him so well.. that just made her happy.

"Come on, are you going to watch or not?!" AJ shouts from the couch, waving with the tv controller in the air.

"I'm coming, little dude!" Louis mutters, he with the whole bowl of popcorn jumps on the couch next to him where they are instantly eating, and the TV show didn't even start playing. Clementine and Violet look at each other and walk towards them with a smile.

* * *

.. After about an hour and a half, the two boys lie on the couch with their mouths open. The only one who is awake is Clementine with Violet.

"..I'll have to take him to my place, he's drunk and he doesn't even have a car here." Volet sighs, looks at the boy who is drooling on the pillow. ".. Sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen."

"It's okay." Clementine mutters, covers AJ with a blanket and strokes his hair. "My mom's coming back in two hours, we can still watch, if you want."

Violet pokes into Louis's face and she sees how his nose wrinkles. "Yeah, why not, I guess."

Clementine sits and the nervousness takes control. The reason her head hurt so much was because of Violet. That night she was really drunk and ended up in such a terrible state. And now she is with her again, at her home when they spent the whole day together, again.

.. And she began to get used to it, feeling a little differently. It was no longer just her stupid crush.

".. He told me you brought me home." Violet speaks, her voice hoarse and silent.

And she swallows, trying not to think about what happened. But she began to panic when she saw the way she looked at her.

"Clem.. I know when I'm drunk, I do stupid things." Violet whispered, scratching the back of her neck. "Well, I'm sorry, you know, if I was doing something that made you uncomfortable."

And she nods, wide-eyed looking at her. "It's okay."

Violet sighed, rubbing her eyes and ran her hand through her blond, chaotic hair. "..I'm not like that, I only drink that much when something bothers me, like too - much."

.. And she herself had no idea why she was telling her such things at all.

"I know." Clementine mutters. "It's okay, everyone has something - to help him forget for a while."

And Violet swallows, she feels she can tell the girl a lot of things, that she trust her. "What about you?"

".. What about me?"

"I know you didn't drink just for fun. Geek like you, home alone, with alcohol?" Violet sligthly snorted. "What did you drink for?"

"Everyone has something." Clementine replies, watching TV. "For me it was my father's death, that turned me into a total wreck. I used both alcohol and drugs."

Violet's eyes widened. "Oh,." She muttered, looked at the curly girl who looked lost in her thoughts. ".. What happened to him?"

"He became an alcoholic who paid for it with his life." Clementine answers, frowns. "He killed himself in our home, cutting his veins."

Violet froze. "Sorry, I shouldn't - Fuck, I shouldn't ask."

"It's okay, my dad.. He just left, and I couldn't put up with his death, I was having problems that almost ruined me too." Clementine mutters. "I just have my mother now."

".. My dad is alcoholic, too." Violet says, plays with her fingers.

Clementine nods, quietly watching AJ in his sleep. "I know he is - And what I said before.. If you need to, Violet, just knock on my door, I'll let you in - and we can talk."

Violet still absorbed the informations she found from her. She was shocked by what she found out about the curly girl, and also found that they had a lot in common. When the girl offered her a safe place and help - Without even knowing her, Violet felt something change. ".. I'm here for you, too."


End file.
